My Name is Rhonda. I am a Ding Dong.

Have you ever found yourself in the “exact change” lane of the tollbooth with no change and cars piling up behind you? That’s the place I found myself today on the way to Canada. This is not a tollbooth with a human. It’s the kind where you drive up, throw the change in, and drive away. This was actually the second stress-filled moment of the day.

For Fathers Day, Tom and the kids bought me a Garmin. When I questioned Tom about this he said, “It’s really a gift for me because now I can relax when it’s your turn to drive instead of being asked if we’re headed the right way every time I fall asleep.”

The Garmin, which I have named Zsa Zsa, was installed into my car before our trip today.

 I really don’t think that “Zsa Zsa” is a classy name. But then again, I’m no woman. (Nathan, typing the story in for mom who is driving, has added his own commentary for your enjoyment.)

As I see it...

Zsa Zsa successfully directed us out of our neighborhood, but from there she and I had our first disagreement. In my mind, we should be heading to Kingsport…yet she directed us toward Bristol, and no matter which rode I turned onto she kept try to turn us back toward Bristol. For those of you who are NOT “Directionally Challenged,” you now understand why my family bought me a Garmin. (In my defense, we do go through Kingsport when heading North…to Michigan.) Unfortunately we go through New York to cross into Canada. But I digress…

After 2 hours of successful driving we found ourselves sitting in the “exact change” lane of the toll both and I had no change in site. My sidekick, young and handsome

 tall, good-looking, best son she has ever had and the one that is typing for her while she is driving and adding anything I think is best,

son, Nathan, had just fallen into a deep sleep. Being the kind, considerate mother that I am

 Only sometimes,

I did not want to wake him up. But I was beginning to panic.

Thankfully, we were still in the South when this incident took place. Therefore, nobody honked and nobody yelled nasty things. They just sat there behind me saying, “Oh she can’t find change…bless her heart. (For you northerners, “bless her heart” translates: “you stupid idiot.”)

I saw no alternative, I awakened Nathan loudly by saying, “Nathan! Nathan! I NEED MY PURSE!

 Now imagine yourself in the most perfect place in a dream. Then imagine someone not yelling, but screaming, “NATHAN, NATHAN!” It’s quite annoying. Then you wake up to a flurry of panic and distress. Believe me, you can feel it in the air.

After 5 or 6 groggy seconds (which seemed like an hour to me), the change was found and we passed through the tollbooth.

My name is Rhonda. I am a ding dong. (To be continued…I’m sure.)

Garden Profits 2011

Thanks to my two sisters-in-law, we have beautiful plants growing in the garden as well as thriving strawberry plants. I’ve noticed a few of the strawberries have little bites taken out of them, but I don’t mind sharing.

I can't remember the name of this one but it's a native of Tennessee. The plant behind it is from Michigan and has tiny daisies on it.

Sedum at the bottom and I don't remember the names of the spiky ones in the rocks. I suppose it would help if I wrote down the names when she gave them to me. Both of these are from Michigan.

Strawberries - right after transplanting

The same strawberries this spring. YUM!

AND, joy of all joys, the blueberry bush is finally producing this year! Will we or the birds get to them first?

I decided to see how that garden was doing at The River. What a nice surprise to find pea pods ready to be picked. The joys of gardening.

Deliciousness

Seven years after planting, many of our plants are maturing beautifully, just like the nursery promised.

The grasses were divided three years ago.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the fact that our plants aren’t the only thing growing…our BABY is shooting up at a rapid pace this year. Ellen, Lydia and Mom have gone down so far. Grace will be next.

Ellen was the first to be "overtaken" by Nathan.

Healthy Relationships

After hearing a plethora of negative relationship stories in my Marriage and Family class, I changed my research paper to the positive aspects seen in healthy relationships. Tom had already created the list, I just added the visual touches.

Give it Up

Our tradition has been to give something up for Lent. At church, we usually make it “fun” and draw a card, giving up something like:

Though it's raining in Johnson City today (I LOVE a rainy day!), at least it isn't snowing.

• speeding
• internet for a day
• chocolate
• painting fingernails (especially funny when a guy draws this one)
• Saturday morning cartoons
• eating out
• …etc.

This year we didn’t draw cards and I wasn’t even thinking that much about Lent when I read somewhere about a suggestion to give up complaining for Lent. (I’ll repost when I remember where I read it.) So, that’s what I’ve chosen for 2011. I have posted it so my friends (and policeman-like children) will hold me accountable. This will be a challenge because as I’m writing this post, all kinds of complaints are running through my mind. I suppose I’d better go and fill my mind with something else.

 

 

Where I’m From (by Grace Bier)

I’m from a family based on laughter and love

Where we’re all accepted for who we are.

From spankings galore to turning out okay

And playing in the yard on a hot, summer day.

I’m from stories before bed

And mom never quite matching up to dad in that department

I’m from learning communication and never wanting to stop.

 

I’m from a no TV family

Rather pick up a book

I’m from Saturdays in your pajamas

Which is always nice for chilling

 

I’m from a big family with three siblings

I’m from parents who taught us about relationships

From parents who taught us to put God first

And treating others as we would want to be treated.

 

I’m from home-cooked meals and cooking together

From family gatherings and loud voices.

From eating until we think we’re going to pop

And loving every minute of it.

 

I’m from playing in two feet of snow and never wanting to come in

And from summers in the Upper Peninsula and Canada.

I’m from Michigan and then Johnson City

Where I’m from is not a specific place

It’s where I feel safe and accepted

And where my friends and family are.

I Take You for Granted

One of my teachers this week asked the question, “What does it mean when someone says, ‘I take you for granted?'” Our responses were all the negative sense of the phrase:

• I have stopped noticing that you cleaned the house.
• I have stopped thanking you for having dinner ready when I arrive home.
• I have stopped appreciating the fact that you faithfully go to work every day to earn money to support our family.
• I have stopped noticing that you keep air in my tires.

He then pointed out that in one sense, taking someone for granted can be a positive thing:

• I trust that you will fix my lunch.
• I know you will be there to pick me up after school.
• I can count on you to pay the bills on time.
• I believe you when you say you still find me attractive – even when I’m wearing one of your old t-shirts and some sweat pants.

We definitely take certain things for granted:

I know you won't drop me, Grandpa.

• Waking up every morning.
• Indoor plumbing.
• A variety of churches.
• Electric lighting.
• Floors in our homes that aren’t made of dirt.
• Grocery stores and gas stations.
• The ability to further our education.

Some of these things seem so basic, yet not everyone enjoys them. I watched a disturbing movie last night, “Blood Diamond,” based on a true story. So disturbing, yet it is reality for a huge percentage of human beings on our planet. 1 Million people in one refuge camp. Disturbing.

Yet it is possible for us to be changed, to have our eyes opened. It is possible for us to become thankful “in all circumstances.” I’ve mentioned my friend, Suzy, before. She is my friend who was found to have a brain tumor one year ago today. In their latest post Barry wrote, “It has been a year of learning, changing, adapting, re-arranging, re-assessing and re-thinking. […] I will not take for granted the gift of life and breath every single day. Never, ever again will I take it for granted.” What they went through to get to this point . . .

So, be thankful if you have someone in your life that you CAN take for granted. And remember to “give thanks in all circumstances.” (1 Thess. 5:8)

Children with Hairloss, Inc.

Ellen has been growing her hair out to donate to Locks of Love. Unfortunately, they only accept 12 inches at a time. She decided to go with this organization because they would accept 8 inches.

Step One - With hairdresser, Rhonda, from Haircrafters in Johnson City, TN.

Step Two - "Are you sure, Ellen?"

Step Three - With a snip, snip, snip that hair was gone, gone, gone just like that.

Step 4 - Ready to send

...and she is STILL adorable.

Finally! Words that Fit Me

One question I’ve grown to dislike over the years is, “What do you DO for a living?” (As if this question reveals all there is to know about me.) Today, in the Johnson City Press, Kathryn Lopez addressed the question. So, on my 49th birthday I thank you, Kathryn, for finally giving me words to what I’ve done (and am doing) with my life!

Kathryn divides moms up in three categories:

1. Working
2. Stay-at-home
3. Adaptive

Well, thanks to this article, I can now say, “Hear ye, hear ye! I am an adaptive woman.” The next couple paragraphs from her article will explain it.

Adaptive women have interests in both work and family, and … they seek to scale back their work when they have children in the home – especially infants and toddlers. But when they don’t have children, or their children are older, adaptive women are often interested in working outside the home on a full-time basis. So, their orientation to work and family shifts over the life course, and according to the needs of their children.

In other words, they’re neither just stay-at-home moms nor working moms: They’re women who do what’s best for them and their families at a given time. They don’t fit the standard conservative stay-at-home model or the liberal full-time-working-woman model. For that reason, they are often invisible in media and academic debates about work and family.

An Era Comes to an End…(sniff, sniff)

Four years cheering in the bleachers–sometimes while our daughters swam against each other–these friends and I have been together. This year our daughters will graduate and our time in the stands together is over (though I’m hoping one will get her sons back into swimming).

When we moved to Johnson City, I wondered where I would meet my friends. It was soon evident that the most natural place would be the place that I spent the most time with my kids…at the pool! Now eliminate that picture in your head of poolside babes. WE weren’t swimming, NOR were we sunbathing. We were cheering for Barracudas and Science Hill Toppers.

I’ll miss you, friends.

Cheering for our state qualifiers in Nashville.

Some of us are "wilder" than others.

Goody bags that we moms put together for our kids that go to state.

My friend, Suzy…

I may not have mentioned this before, but I collect friends. It seems to me that over the years, if I were to tally the names of the friends I’ve collected, most of them are named Sue . . . or Susan . . . or Suzy . . . or Susanne . . . you get the idea. This blog is about one of those Suzy’s that I have grown to love.

I see her once a year at a Pastor’s Camp in Cedarville, MI – we’ve been attending for about 20 years. We are together one week out of the year, but it’s an intense (and wildly fun) week – meals, small group Bible studies, snacks, games, big group sessions, late night snacks, etc. Suzy is one of my wild and crazy friends. Not only is she “wild and crazy” fun, she’s “wild and crazy” for Jesus.

A couple of weeks ago, they discovered a pretty serious brain tumor. So, I’m attaching their blog site to mine because I’d love for you to go to their site, read their thoughts as they walk through this horrible valley , and then pray for Suzy’s healing with us.

http://www.updateonsuzy.blogspot.com

Thank you.

With love, Rhonda