The Big One

Courtesy Google Images

Fifty is either younger than I always thought, or I'm older than I want to admit. Either way, it's rather surreal to find myself at this milestone.

Now I have to change my "About Me" profile since I'm no longer "forty-something".

Later. Right now I'm on vacation with my family and we are going to have some fun!


(And yes, the President and I were born the same day. According to the birth certificate released by the White House earlier this year, I am 2 hours older than he is.)

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August 22, 1995

My girl turns 15 today. On the day she was born, just 12 days before my boy's second birthday, I couldn't fathom what it would be like to have teenagers. I don't know where the time has flown, but I wish it would slow down!

To say that my girl lives life with gusto is somewhat of an understatement. Whether it is piano lessons or viola lessons, youth leadership team or worship band keyboardist, volunteering in the church nursery or going on a mission trip to Guatemala, reading a book or singing along with a TobyMac cd. . . .everything she does is infused with joy and zest for life, God, friends, and family.

Happy Birthday, sweet girl! I am so proud of the young woman you are blossoming into!

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Flashback Friday Prompt

Thanks for all the sweet birthday wishes yesterday. It was a nice, unrushed, few commitments kind of day! And my girl made me some incredible chocolate chip cookies. I share a birthday with our new pastor, so it was fun to exchange greetings with him; my man and I look forward to going to dinner with him and his wife next week for a belated dual celebration.

And now it is the day that, when I was a kid, I always thought was the most depressing of the whole year. . . August 5. Kinda like the day after Christmas, when all the anticipation has climaxed on Christmas Day and it's a whole year 'til the next one!

(Which reminds me of my dad. . . without fail he would say at the breakfast or supper table on Dec. 26: "Well, only 365 days until Christmas!"



This prompt was practically impossible to write! Too many prepositions! I hope it is clearer than mud!

What did you want to be when you grew up? Why did you want to be that, and did you do it? Did you consistently plan to be whatever it was, or did you change your mind often? Did you do anything like volunteering or interning to give you a taste of your future occupation/role? Were you as happy/satisfied with what you became as you thought you would be? What surprised you? Would you choose it again? Do you still want to be something else - either in addition to or instead of?

Share your childhood dreams and goals tomorrow and come back here to link up!

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You're Invited!

Today is my birthday and I'm going to pretend on my blog that I live in the South American country where my sister is a missionary. Down there, the tradition is that on your birthday you do your own party! You fix dinner for all your friends - it's a way of celebrating the friendships on your birthday. And it definitely takes the pressure off of wondering if anyone will remember!

So you are all invited to enjoy with me. . .

no skimping on the whipped cream today!
And some. . .

which of course means we need some. . .

and I guess we better toss in some fruit to balance it out. . .


And all of this is virtually calorie-free!

(Couldn't resist the cyber-pun)

Thanks for being my bloggy friends. Today I celebrate YOU!!

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Flashback Friday - Birthday Memories

Welcome to Flashback Friday! In honor of my sister's birthday today, we're taking a look back at the birthdays of our childhood.

What were birthdays like when you were growing up? Were they a big deal or understated? Did you have parties? Get to choose what or where the family ate for dinner? Are there any particular birthday traditions that you remember? Is there any birthday that stands out (good OR bad!), either due to the events surrounding it or due to the particular present(s) you received?

I have always loved my birthday. Even today, when I'm much less excited about the addition of another digit to my age, the day just has a special feel to it. And it's not because I had lots of parties or anything; I've just always loved a "special occasion," as we called it in our family.

My mom did not like birthday parties. It was fine for me to attend them, but she couldn't handle sending what she considered a "bring me a present" invitation. (I'm thinking she also was a little concerned about what kind of gifts I might give, as she hated Barbie and most other trendy things.)

(I realize some of my posts make my parents sound like real ogres. They were nice people; they just had definite, ultra-conservatively Christian views about many things. But I digress.)

(I'm the first one on the left end of the couch.)
We (my siblings and I) were each allowed one party, which was for our 5th birthday. I remember being so excited that a friend gave me a Liddle Kiddle; they had just come out that year. But one thing completely puzzles me now. There was no such thing as preschool, so school was the beginning of the social environment for me (other than church activities). And our neighborhood had few kids my age. So looking at the picture, I have no idea how we knew to invite them since I hadn't gone to school yet! Only two of the kids that were there were from church. It's driving me nuts, and I can't even ask my mom about it! (For those new to my blog, she passed away about 18 months ago.) So that mystery will remain unsolved.

One major thing I remember from my birthdays was how mean my big sisters were. Oh, I kid. Sorta. See, my brother and both of my sisters were a good bit older than me (11, 9, and 7 years older). And all of them were born in the wee hours of the morning. However, I was born a little after 10:00 pm. So my sisters delighted in telling me each year that I wouldn't get to open my presents until the day after my birthday because I didn't change ages until after my bedtime. Of course, my mom didn't succumb to their wishes, but it still aggravated me to no end!

I remember that we generally got to choose the meal that my mom would fix. I almost always chose hamburgers. It was very rare for us to ever go out to eat, a treat generally that only happened when we were traveling. But there were a few years in my elementary days when I remember us going to Kip's Big Boy restaurant because my birthday hamburger was free and then heading to Baskin Robbins for my free ice cream cone afterward.

(Wow. I didn't know there were any Big Boy restaurants left but there are still a few left, although I think all the ones called Kip's are gone.)

The most memorable present I ever received was also on my 5th birthday. Although it's a wonder I'm not in therapy because of it! That was what I always called "my 5-year-old bed." I was so excited to get my very own twin bed. Because you see, um, I was still in the crib! When I got older, I teased my parents mercilessly. (And rightly so!) In their defense, we had a TINY house. (Is it an oxymoron to type tiny in ALL CAPS?! Gee, I've either turned into random Lid or My ADHD Me/Monkeys are Funny!) Anyway, it was about 1100 square feet, and my folks raised all four of us there, not moving until that time when I was in high school and the only one at home! I had apartments bigger than that house after I got out of college! It had three bedrooms. My brother had one, and he had a double bed. (My crib was in that room.) My sisters shared a double bed in their bedroom, and then my folks had theirs. Where would I go? I couldn't share a bed with my brother. I've said I guess they were hoping I would last in the crib until he went to college, when I would be seven! But finally, on my 5th birthday my dad came home from work and brought in a twin bed, which went in my sisters' room. There was hardly room to walk between the two beds, but it fit. It was also a bit of a problem because my sisters were 12 and 14 by this time, and they would need to study and it would be my bedtime. Many times I remember going to sleep on my brother's bed (I guess he was working at the grocery store.) and then being moved to my bed later. I did move into his room once he left home, but I slept in my 5-year-old bed all through high school and my parents finally got rid of it when I got married.

So that is more than I'm sure you ever wanted to know about my childhood birthdays, but I bet no one can top that birthday memory!

But I still want to read yours, so link your post here!

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Flashback Friday Prompt #5

This week's Flashback Friday is in honor of my sister's birthday, which is tomorrow.

What were birthdays like when you were growing up? Were they a big deal or understated? Did you have parties? Get to choose what or where the family ate for dinner? Are there any particular birthday traditions that you remember? Is there any birthday that stands out (good OR bad!), either due to the events surrounding it or due to the particular present(s) you received?

Post your answer tomorrow on your blog, then come back here to link up and visit other participating bloggers!

(And be sure to read my interview with author Diann Mills just below this post!)

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Sixteen

Sixteen years ago today, I became a mom. And my life has never been the same.

It never ceases to amaze me how some of the days (and nights!) can pass so slowly and yet the years just whiz by. I get a lump in my throat when I see him stretched out on his bed, filling it from top to bottom and remember how that same bed swallowed him up when we moved him into it from the baby bed. Yet, although I would love to travel back for a moment or two to experience again the sweetness of those early years, I wouldn't trade the joy of seeing the young man he's becoming.

In honor of this milestone birthday, here are some quotes related to teenagers and growing up:

It is hard to convince a high-school student that he will encounter a lot of problems more difficult than those of algebra and geometry. ~Edgar W. Howe

The invention of the teenager was a mistake. Once you identify a period of life in which people get to stay out late but don't have to pay taxes - naturally, no one wants to live any other way. ~Judith Martin

Adolescence is a period of rapid changes. Between the ages of 12 and 17, for example, a parent ages as much as 20 years. ~Author Unknown

The best substitute for experience is being sixteen. ~Raymond Duncan


And the best quotes of all relating to youth:

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. I Timothy 4:12

How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your Word. Psalm 119:9

Happy Birthday to my boy. I'm blessed to have you for my son.

I love you. Always have. Always will.
Mom.

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TSMSS - Heaven & A Birthday

Thoughts of heaven's joy, which awaits us just beyond the horizon, have been on my mind often during this past week as a result of my FIL's homegoing. As I mentioned Friday, my MIL's comment that "Every time I think about where he is, I smile" summed up the hope that is ours as believers. I told someone last week that if we really and truly had a glimpse of what was on the other side, we wouldn't try so hard to keep our loved ones here!

I just love this song. I don't know which is more fun - listening to these guys or watching them sing! I guarantee it will put a smile on your face! (Especially when Bill Gaither plays the piano and when Ernie Haase's excited energy almost causes him to fall off the stage at about 3:30!)

HEAVEN'S JOY AWAITS
Words & Music by Vep Ellis

When we leave this lowland,
We will cross the Jordan;
Past the chilly torrent,
Heaven’s joy awaits.

Chorus:
(Heaven is) Just beyond the blue horizon, (is heaven)
Just above the starry sky, (starry blue sky above us)
Far above this land of sorrow (I'll go a-)
Way above each tear and sigh, (every sigh).
Just a few more miles before us, (and there is)
Just a little while to wait, (patiently wait for Jesus)
Soon we’ll sing redemption’s chorus, (I'm going up there where)
Heaven’s joy awaits, Heaven awaits.

Heaven’s breeze is blowing (blowing),
Gently to me calling (calling);
I will soon be going (going)
Through the pearly gates.

* * * * *
Today is my girl's 14th birthday. I couldn't resist pulling out this classic of the late great Victor Borge in her honor. He was a masterful pianist and comedian. And since my girl adores playing piano, I just had to share his oh-so-incredible classical renditions of Happy Birthday. And he even mentions the viola, the other instrument she plays!

Happy Birthday, sweet girl! You are a delight and bring joy to our days. I know God has great things in store for you this year!



Be sure to visit Amy's for more great songs!

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Sometimes Getting Older Having Birthdays is Fun!

Back in the spring we thought we would go to the Grand Canyon on vacation in June. We'd pick up the kids in Taos at the end of our church's youth camp and keep going. Then my man's work schedule didn't cooperate and we weren't sure we were going anywhere. Finally, as July begin to wane it became evident that we could plan a trip.

Only the Grand Canyon didn't sound so appealing at this point in the summer, especially since central Texas had only had about 4 days under 100 degrees since June 13! So we looked east, and remembered the fun and historical sites in Tennessee.

And then it hit me: we would be staying several days in Chattanooga! Which is relatively near three blog friends, two whom I have never met in real life.

So today my man and kids are sight-seeing without me, and I just got back from possibly my most fun birthday lunch ever!

Kelli, Lisa, Lisa, Me

Oh.My.Goodness. What a blast we had! The only one I had met before was Lisa The Preacher's Wife. Lisa Writes & Kelli (Ponderings of a Pastor's Wife) had not met each other before, although they both knew Lisa PW. It was such a wonderful treat, and I couldn't believe this Texas gal made it all the way to Tennessee!

And last night I got a headstart on my birthday. We had gone to Nashville for the day, and before driving back to Chattanooga my family had the delight of having dinner with Nancy Rue! My girl had not seen her in a couple of years so she was especially excited. They discussed the new teen series Nancy is writing and her new blog for teens! The guys were patient and enjoyed themselves - what's not to love about Nancy? - especially when she related her story of attempting Harley-riding lessons!



Sometimes God just absolutely showers blessings upon us! From the time I got up and opened my first birthday email, it has been a day filled with love. And it's not over. Tonight we're having dinner here!



Thanks to all of you for your sweet birthday wishes!

(Don't forget this week's giveaway!)

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We Interrupt This Vacation. . .

Today is my birthday and even if a single sweet doesn't pass my lips, I know that I am going to "have my cake and eat it, too." And not only that but "the icing on the cake" as well.

Hint: I'm not in Texas, but where I am starts with T.

Pictures to come!

(Don't forget this week's giveaway!)

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My Own (Anti)Oscar, Presented by My Teen

While the eyes of many were focused on who was winning an Oscar for Best Whatever last night, I swept my own category hands down.

I am apparently the World's Worst Mom.

How innocently we do things for our children when they are small, endeavoring to make their lives fun and meaningful and full of special times. Then as they grow up and life gets busy, we put away childish things, not realizing that they view them as Traditions Etched in Stone.

Because it's such a big deal to a preschooler to reach the milestone of being, say, 3 and a half, I used to celebrate it. I would make my kids half of a cake, put the current number of candles plus half of a candle on it, and we would sing Happy Half-Birthday to You. No gifts (or half-gifts) were involved, and since their birthdays are 12 days apart, it was a piece of cake (so to speak!) to do it. I'd make a whole recipe of our traditional chocolate cake, pop one layer in the freezer for the next 1/2 birthday, and cut, stack, and frost the other one for the first child's half-birthday.

And since all 4 of our birthdays are clumped together in just over a month, it brought some fun to the other half of the year. Of course, my man and I don't care to commemorate such half-milestones for ourselves; the whole birthdays come fast enough as it is! But it was a sweet family time when the kids were young and we continued through elementary school.

I really thought my kids were past this stage, as a couple of years ago both of their half-birthdays came and went without any of us realizing it. What a fool naive woman I was!

But alas, yesterday, my girl remembered hers. And in spite of the fact that we were home a whopping 10 minutes between 9 AM and 8 PM, she bemoaned the fact that she didn't have her 1/2 cake. She was marginally placated with a wrap & a slush from Sonic.

Maybe I should have given them a wretched, miserable childhood so they wouldn't have such high expectations!

Beware, young moms: it all comes back to bite you when they're teenagers!

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Time Flies

Fifteen years ago today my life was changed forever. I became a mom.

The years have passed in the blink of an eye as my boy has changed from that cuddly newborn to a teenager who is nearly as tall as I.

Since he's been known to read my blog, I won't embarrass him by going on and on about how great he is - how responsible, helpful, and diligent in his studies, as well as fun to be around. But I could, dontcha know!

Happy Birthday to my boy. I'm honored and proud to be your mom!

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. I Timothy 4:12

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An Emotion-Filled Day

Part I. My baby girl, my youngest child, is a teenager today.

As I wrote this post, she was playing games and watching the Olympics with 5 of her friends for a sleepover party. Today will be filled with picking up athletic uniforms, lunch with me & Dad, and spending the night at the house of another friend who couldn't make it to the party before heading to SeaWorld with her tomorrow.

What a blessing she is to our lives. In spite of a few teenage moments here and there, (complete with eye rolls, of course!) she is an absolute joy. She loves Jesus, her family, her friends, playing piano, singing, smiley faces, rubber duckies, school, and laughing.

Happy Birthday, sweet girl! I'm proud to be your mom.


BTW, a huge shout-out to Melody of Kids, Cakes, Dishes, & Laundry for the awesome cake she made for my girl's party! This was a H.U.G.E. step for me not to make the cake myself. But there have not been enough hours in the day lately, and so I took the plunge. And wow! Is that not a darling confection?!

Part II. I thought it would never get here, or that I would miss most of it because of the birthday, but it's time to hit the road for San Antonio for the Siesta Fiesta! I am so excited! I'm eagerly anticipating meeting some folks I just know via blogs and spending lots of time with Xandra.

The only downside is that I won't be able to meet those of you who can't come. We'll all miss you!
This got kinda buried the other day and not too many saw it. Here is my mini Siesta Fiesta for all of you - this perfectly expresses how I feel about you in my heart:

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
We were made to love and be loved
But the price this world demands will cost you far too much
I spent so many lonely years just trying to fit in
Now I’ve found a place in this circle of friends

In a circle of friends we have one Father
In a circle of friends we share this prayer
That every orphaned soul will know
And all will enter in
To the shelter of this circle of friends

If you weep, I will weep with you
If you sing for joy the rest of us will lift our voices too
But no matter what you feel inside there’s no need to pretend
That’s the way it is in this circle of friends

In a circle of friends
We have one Father
In a circle of friends we share this prayer
That we’ll gather together no matter how the highway bends
I will not lose this circle of friends

Among the nations, tribes and tongues we have sisters and brothers
And when we meet in heaven we will recognize each other
With joy so deep and love so sweet
Oh we’ll celebrate these friends
And a life that never ends

In a circle of friends
We have one Father
In a circle of friends
We share this prayer
That it will not be long before
All will enter in
To the shelter of this circle of friends

That it will not be long before
All will enter in
To the shelter of this circle of friends

Thanks for being my circle of friends!

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WARNING: Birthdays are Hazardous to Your Health

I've had a sufficiency.

I would tell you I'm full, stuffed, sated. Except my grandmother didn't think it proper to talk in such "coarse" terminology, especially at the table. (We're also the only clan I've ever known that calls chicken thighs "second joints." How weird is that?!) So my lawyer grandfather devised an appropriate way for the grandchildren to declare that we had reached our maximum capacity for food:

I've had a sufficiency;
Any more would be superfluous
And prove very deleterious
To my corporal mechanism.

Or, as we eventually shortened it, I've had a sufficiency.

The reason for my "corporal mechanism's" misery? My birthday dinner. Specifically, the dessert:


That would be the CHOCOLATE OREO® MUDSLIDE CHEESECAKE from The Cheesecake Factory, described on the menu as "Chocolate Oreos Baked in our Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake with a Chocolate-Almond Brownie Crust."

In searching for the picture, I stumbled across the fact that one slice has 1050 calories and 71 grams of fat. I'm not sure whether to groan or oink.

I can't believe I ate (almost) the whole thing!

And for you young gals who aren't as old as I turned today and don't remember that classic line from the old Alka-Seltzer commercial, here's a remake of the commercial from my childhood!

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Recipe for Insanity

It's August 1. Let the games begin.

Not those games, although I do enjoy watching them, especially the diving, gymnastics, and swimming.

But August 1 heralds the arrival of The Season in our house. All of our birthdays and our anniversary are in August & September. Throw in the start of school right in the middle (and every other fall event "kick-off") and it's enough to drive a mom insane. Of course, since my birthday starts the festivities on Monday, I don't totally dread the arrival of the month!

It is better now that the kids are older and have outgrown the themed parties and taking cupcakes to school. But their birthdays are less than 2 weeks apart, and by the time I made all the variations of our traditional chocolate cake for parties and school and family during the elementary school years, we were all thoroughly sick of it.

But it is such a delicious - and EASY! - recipe that I want to share it with you and I'm submitting it for the Siesta Fiesta cookbook as well.

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake
2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. Hershey's Cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. boiling water

Heat oven to 350. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Stir in boiling water. (Batter will be thin.) Pour into two 9" round greased and floured pans. Bake 30-35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting
1 stick (1/2 c.) butter or margarine (1 1/2 c.)*
2/3 c. Hershey's Cocoa (1 c.)*
3 c. powdered sugar (4 1/2 c.)*
1/3 c. milk (1/2 c.)*
1 tsp. vanilla extract (1 1/2 tsp.)*

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk & vanilla, beating medium speed to spreading consistency. Add more milk or powdered sugar if needed.

*Note: I think the frosting recipe makes a very sparse frosting so I increased the amounts by 50% as shown in parentheses.

So please, have a piece of cake this month with your cup of mocha! There's plenty more where that came from!

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