Too Good Not to Share



A Blue Rose

Having four visiting family members, my wife was very busy, so I offered to go to the store for her to get some needed items, which included light bulbs, paper towels, trash bags, detergent and Clorox. So off I went.



I scurried around the store, gathered up my goodies and headed for the checkout counter, only to be blocked in the narrow aisle by a young man who appeared to be about sixteen-years-old. I wasn't in a hurry, so I patiently waited for the boy to realize that I was there. This was when he waved his hands excitedly in the air and declared in a loud voice, "Mommy, I'm over here."



It was obvious now, he was mentally challenged and also startled as he turned and saw me standing so close to him, waiting to squeeze by. His eyes widened and surprise exploded on his face as I said, "Hey Buddy, what's your name?"



"My name is Denny and I'm shopping with my mother," he responded proudly.



"Wow," I said, "that's a cool name; I wish my name was Denny, but my name is Steve."



"Steve, like Stevarino?" he asked. "Yes," I answered. "How old are you Denny?"



"How old am I now, Mommy?" he asked his mother as she slowly came over from the next aisle.



"You're fifteen-years-old Denny; now be a good boy and let the man pass by."



I acknowledged her and continued to talk to Denny for several more minutes about summer, bicycles and school. I watched his brown eyes dance with excitement, because he was the centre of someone's attention. He then abruptly turned and headed toward the toy section.



Denny's mom had a puzzled look on her face and thanked me for taking the time to talk with her son. She told me that most people wouldn't even look at him, much less talk to him.



I told her that it was my pleasure and then I said something I have no idea where it came from, other than by the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I told her that there are plenty of red, yellow, and pink roses in God's Garden; however, "Blue Roses" are very rare and should be appreciated for their beauty and distinctiveness. You see, Denny is a Blue Rose and if someone doesn't stop and smell that rose with their heart and touch that rose with their kindness, then they've missed a blessing from God.



She was silent for a second, then with a tear in her eye she asked, "Who are you?"



Without thinking I said, "Oh, I'm probably just a dandelion, but I sure love living in God's garden."



She reached out, squeezed my hand and said, "God bless you!" and then I had tears in my eyes.



May I suggest, the next time you see a BLUE ROSE, don't turn your head and walk off. Take the time to smile and say Hello. Why? Because, by the grace of GOD, this mother or father could be you. This could be your child, grandchild, niece or nephew. What a difference a moment can mean to that person or their family.



From an old dandelion! Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.



"People will forget what you said, People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them

feel!"

~Diary of a Dumbass~

Okay.. so I have been prompted and prodded by waaayy to many friends that I really need to post the following.  It seems as if my new job has become to entertain the masses with my extraordinary skills at hurting & humilitaing myself for the masses..  And the bruise is so dang horrific that no truly gifted newly made lie can ever explain them.. I do have an extremely gifted talent of finding new ways to inflict pain and embarrasment to myself and those around me..
This might be a good time to swallow any beverage you might be drinking and abstain from sips...

Deja Vu Vu Vu~


> So is this when you are living vicariously thru someone (Deana Beana) and then unexpectedly decide to instead make it a closer reality in one's own life?

> So I joined the YMCA right?

> And I was scheduled for my physical assessment this morning..

> I get up and get rolling along.. let Rachel sleep in later to help her little circles under her eyes.., So we get to her school 40 minutes later...

> I hightail it to school so I can meet w/Dayton my mentoring child..

> He was in a pissy mood.. sorry.. just no other word can suffice at this moment..

> I run to Kohl's so I can get some decent athletic gear (translated.,.. anything other than a pr of crappy denim shorts) and too tight tshirt..

> Grab a bag full of clothes.. not even trying on second run of clothes.. Something to at least fit the Big Mama Butt.. Run the dog home and change.. I left her in the car while I did the other stuff..

> Get to the Y 10 minutes late..only to find out I was really 20 minutes early..

> So I was told to get on the awesome treadmill.. and I proceed to watch the non volume "House Hunters" and jam to my recently newly purchased IPod.. with the best tunes I know will keep me motivated..

> So the trainer set me up at 2.5 speed.. I didn't know how low she had set it.. And I'm jamming and having a truly wonderful time.. Now this is the point to which the viewer and anyone else who truly knows me may be questioning if I am now dabbling w/ an illicit drug.. Cause me and enjoying working out are not connected anywhere on the body of mine..

> So I'm having such a great time.. I decide to work myself up to 3.3 speed w/a .5 incline. And I'm all proud at the workout I'm doing..Watching those precious calories burn.. burn baby burn..

>

> Now this is where the train goes off the tracks.. Cause anyone who truly knows me.. knows this can't possibly continue safely for this child.. The trainer comes over and starts talking to me.. She's behind me to the side.. Now I can't hear her due to the awesome Rocking tunes.. and I at that exact moment totally lose any awareness of consciousness that I am on a treadmill. Do I turn off the tunes? Even better do I push the stop button? Yea right~ That would be the LOGICAL thing to do.. Something every sane and athletic person would do..

> Well Hells bells.. Now when have I EVER been mistaken for one of THEM?

>

> no no no~~ Grace here gets this horrific vision of my fat and out of shape butt flying across the huge workout gym to only hit the other wall many many feet away.. And I can see this image ending up on Youtube for eternity and reaching the African tribes that don't even have a written language.. And then that thought is followed by.. Oh crap!! If I pivot, then my weak knee(s) will dislocate.. and this is Such a reality in my life.. And I truly don't think another surgery for torn cartilage is doable in my book. So I twist off the thing and aim for the side rail.. Yea~~ Yes~~ I made it after my elbow caught and broke my fall..But not before butt bouncing off the conveyor belt.. And of course..What Humiliating experience would be complete w/out a really handsome fella who just got on the treadmill next to me..

>

> Dang it.. Talk about seeing stars.. And I got escorted to the trainer's office and they were nice enough to provide me w/a chair in which I couldn't exactly sit and water to drink so I didn't pass out.. I literally was seeing stars and then got the overwhelming feeling of being about as drunk as I have ever been....and that was well over 23 yrs ago..!! So we do an incident report which of course had to entail no less than 4 people including the facility director.. Oh yea..

>

> So you guys are thinking Shut Up already.. And Deana is thinking "Where in the heck do I fit into this? And WHY"?

> Tomorrow I had signed up to be a field trip chaperone for the Botanical Garden's Field Trip for Marshe's school. Rachel and I were going.. Lots of walking and lots of heat and sweating..

> And Thurs. we have field days where the kids play on the playground all day long in planned events and races.. Oh yea.. And then at noon Thur. Rachel has her graduation ceremony at school..And i was gonna mentor Harper sometime that day as well..

>

> So here I was.. finally getting my butt in the right thinking manner and plan down to lose weight.. volunteer @ Marshes school and run the roads w/ all my other responsibilities.. also housefinding and getting my clothes together that I have sold at Thred Up...

>

> And I can't help but see some familiar visions of Deana getting hurt on said field trip, in immense pain and homebound and humiliated..

> I really can't believe that there is an injury left that I hadn't discovered until today.. Who'd Thunk?

> So I am injured w/a very painful pulled hamstring.. However, I can't wait to get back over there start working out again..

>

> So this is my story.. I'm a dumbass.. I need intervention and you ladies know the real story.. I now need your help to help me come up w/a much betta one for the masses.. Those that haven't heard yet of course..

> Love yall!!

Shakin'.. whoa oohh ooohh ooohh.. (Eddie Money) =D

The Eddie Money song "Shakin" comes to mind when I see these beautiful flowers.  They are my favorite and special Spider Lilies that my mom gave to me 14 yrs. ago.  I have blogged about them before.  I planted them in our home's entrance 14 yrs ago and patiently waited..and did I say 'patiently'?  Cause I do not have patience.  Nonetheless.. I did wait for my first bloom for many years.  These delicate flowers do not bloom every year.. In fact, they are more likely to bloom every 4 or 5.  And I have learned patience through waiting for these blooms to arrive every year.  In fact, they bloom so rarely, they are a treat and special blessing when they make their surprise entrance.

I leave the home one day and upon my arrival back home I discover that Thing 1 and Thing 2 have mercilessly dug each and every bulb out of the flower bed and left them scattered and lying all over the place.  To say that I was suprised and angry would be an understatement.  I was a stark raving freakin' Mad Mama!!  They didn't realize what they had done.  The most blooms we have ever had were 2.  Two measily blooms out of something like 17 bulbs.  That's just how delicate and evasive this flower is.  I ran into the house and grabbed a trowel and quickly reset them in the ground.  My mind was shaking cause I thought I would never see these blooms again.  Especially after the most severe of weather we have had here in Central Texas.  The worst drought ever, the 2nd coldest Winter ever, followed by the 1st and 2nd wettest years ever.  Just knew I had kissed those babies goodbye for good.

My mind could only conceive of the shakin' my plants had taken.  I couldn't fathom that they would ever bloom again.  However, this year.. in all of their beautiful splendor, we were treated to many many new flowers.  The most I've ever seen.  They are growing in a different spot.  And my little mind can not deny the lesson that God has set before me.  We need to be shakin' up!!

We need to step out of our comfort zone... out of our comfortable fitting, routine and safe places we prefer to remain within.  How will we ever grow, learn and change if we stay stagnant all the time?  Change is one of the most difficult places I can take myself.  And I will be the first to admit I can try really hard to avoid getting out of my comfort zone more times than is good for me.  I have also learned...

It is good and healthy to look at things from a different perspective.  The new angles and configurations can lend to some great discoveries.  And it might even be the best thing we never thought would occur.    So once again God used my precious kids to teach this hardheaded chick a good lesson or two.. or three.. Who am I kidding?  I am humbled more often than I care to acknowledge.  But God has a wonderful way of teaching good and subtle lessons in a kind  and gentle way sometimes.   Shakin'.. whoa ohh ohh.. That girl was shakin'... snappin' her fingers....... 

Personalize a photo slideshow

My name is Karyn and I'm an Addict

Hello..my name is Karyn and I'm an addict.  It's not something I'm proud of.  And I'm not ready to admit it to hubs just yet. I have way too much pride to allow that from happening.  I have been on FaceBook for a little over a year now and I can honestly say that I look at my world differently.  It has been the catalyst between my past and present.  I attended my hs 25 yr reunion a year ago.  I found out right after I joined.. And I couldn't wait to see my old friends that I had  recently reconnected with.  We had a Blast!! 

So this past year has been spent continuing those friendship explorations.  And along the way I have had the opportunity to learn vasts amounts of insight into myself.  It's as if the puzzle of my life is being fit together once again..or maybe for the first time?  I am so incredibly blessed.  We still have my 96 yr. old MawMaw so there's that history. Chapter 1: I have just this past week reconnected with a friend from my happiest childhood time.  I adored her little brother so we have been remebering him and all the great times we shared when we lived there.  Very deep pain has occurred since that time, but I am able to look past it and cherish every memory as the catayst for which I was being molded into who I am today.  It was the firmest of foundations and I won't ever feel less than incredibly grateful that I had those experiences. 

Chapter 2 in my life is the place in which we moved to after obvious chapter 1.
Duh!! that was a difficult move and I have been able to thank the wonderful friends I have reconnected with.  It's been wonderful to reconnect with those special friends and share where we have been.

Chapter 3:  The most difficult move of all and into some very harsh times.  But after all is said and done, it has become home.  And for every difficult trial.. it was worth it now..today.  And those are the friendships that are the deepest and sometimes most complicated. 

And it has allowed a wonderful experience in that I have been able to share these friendships, finds and times w/my dad.  Both of my parents were extremely gifted and integrity filled educators.  They have touched literally thousands of lives.. in good and often difficult ways.  And it is truly an honor to reconnect with folks from my.and their past who have related the impact my parents sacrifices played in their lives.  FB has allowed a level of honesty and open communication not really found before. 

I see it as a thread that has been weaving all the experiences and chapters in my life thus far together in a remarkably orderly and precise manner in which I can now see them for what they truly were.  And I'm learning things I didn't know along the way about others, myself and us together at times. 

FB can also be a great story buster.  I learned my hs superintendent actually graduated from my first chapter school.  WTH?  And just how did I learn this? Busted!!  Totally busted.. I saw his profile pix w/his grandkids and was curious.  So I proceeded to pull up his profile and saw a strange but yet familiar group..so well.. you know I just had to pull that up and be nosy.. And thankfully I did.. it led me to the motherlode for Chapter 1 in my book..and I was able to reconnect w/my friend's sis...and the purest memories of my life.  Damn.. for once..being nosy can really pay off..  (patting self on back)..which in turn has led to my dad to reconnecting to some of his first students..

My name is Karyn, and I'm a nosy Rosy.... explorer of self...friend to some..nuisance to many...and addict to FB..and I don't presently seek intervention!!  Happy Surfing My Friends!!~~~

Live to Learn

One of the challenges I face as an overprotective mom is balance.  I doubt that anyone would disagree that you can never be too safe.  There are so many incredibly horrific dangers that face our kids these days.  Things that my folks and their peers never had to really consider or think about.  Like wondering off in a store a few aisles ahead to grab a quick forgotten item...Like allowing your kids to explore a park or neighborhood on their own w/out much supervision.  Like not having to fear the motives of those who you encounter, those who live near you and worse yet, recognizing that there may be someone out there who is preying on parents just like you to make that one mistake and go in for the kill.

Nope.. my folks only really had to worry about tainted Halloween candy.  I remember the day as if it were yesterday.  And it sent shock waves down every street in America.  The thought that you needed to possibly get your loot xrayed so you knew it was safe.  We were living in a small city at the time and it changed the way we looked at our neighbors and people we didn't know.  Personally, I think this was a turning point in the beginning of the stranger danger phase that we can't afford to leave behind.  Sad truth is, it's way worse now than ever before.

So my quandry is how do I give my kids the much needed freeedom to explore their world and seek their own adventures while maintaining a safe environment?  Just how much freedom is actually allowed..and what are the parameters.  I will admit that my husband and I disagree on this often.  He is the one that will allow the kids to ride their bikes, scooters and skateboards in our neighborhood on the same road the cars and trucks share.  Those vehicles just zoom past our home way too fast. So John is wonderful to be there to allow them that space and opportunity to be kids.  He rough houses w/them when he can muster enough energy after a brutally gruelling day at work.

On the other hand, I will allow them almost free reign in our backyard.  We are fortunate to have a 1/2 acre where most places where we live can easily get 2-3 homes on that lot size.  It's enclosed with a 4 ft. lattice fence we labored over for a good year to get up.  This provides ample opportunity for 2 very curious and mischevious rugrats room to scale and scout on our neighbors  (who are rarely even home) and the most sought after pet detective capers in the neighborhood.  I try really hard to leave them alone and not hover so they will feel freedom to roam and make up their own fun.  This has and will come w/a price for this Nervous Nellie!  Dad has huge amounts of extremely interesting equipment and left over landscaping supplies to encounter.  And naturally since we have told them repeatedly Not to get into them.. well.. that's like telling UT fans to leave the Aggies alone with their jokes.  Folks it isn't gonna happen.  And a part of me is glad deep down inside.. despite the fact that I can get nail spitting furious when disobeyed w/that stuff. 

Truth be told.. I still live by the mantra "Ignorance is bliss!"..  I just don't really want to know HOW they came up w/some of their capers.  The ladder on top of the wagon that's balancing a chair and leads to a tree is just too nerve wracking for this child.  Do I really want to know what object was used to cut down that plant?  I know that I don't..cause then I get to worrying about all the 'couldas.. and shouldas.. and the Oh Man's!!  But instead I wish I would remember the gratefulness and the praise God's that nothing bad happened. 

Everyone who knows me will wholeheartedly tell you of how uncoordinated this unbalanced, unathletic and pathetically klutzy this child of a coach really is.  Hands down.. zero talent.  However, there is one skill that I got really great at.. and I mean Great when I was younger.  When left to our own devices, I could get myself into the most incredible FUN.. and I mean sheer bliss..  One day my mom locked me out of the house and made me watch my little 2 yr. old brother.  So I decided I had to climb.. yes HAD to Climb the tallest evergreen tree there was next to the alley in our backyard.  So I manage to talk and get little bro up there as well.. SomehowI found something sharp enough to carve our messages into the tree.  And I will proudly admit that my mom literally turned about 4 shades of green when she saw Brett up there..  All she could do was whisper in fear of him falling.  Somehow we got him down unscathed and unhurt.  And then I got a monumental butt chewing!!  But what I learned has stayed with me to this day.  And unfortunately, it has proven that if provoked enough (in my eyes).. I will go to extreme lengths to make my point. But the fact that I scaled that tree ..and we got UP there that day..didn't fall..and didn't hurt myself was a great motivator and encourager.

Another skill I acquired was something I have never come across anyone else as claiming have done on their bucket list.  All the homes in our nieghborhood were massive old two story bohunkers built by previous generation city blue bloods.  We were fortunate to have gotten them when they aged to say 50 yrs. =D
So these homes had awesome places to hide, burrow and explore. And my favorite nieghbor friend lived 2 doors down and his yard was more jungle than landscaped like my own.  So we decided to execute the newest level of excitement.  Today, it would probably be considered extreme sports, but in the 70's it wasn't being done.  It must have been the beginning of my talent for the avante garde!!  We became very proficient at roller skating off the garage roof and onto the cellar door located behind the garage.  It was a perfect location as no one could really see or even think to see what we were doing.  You have to go a certain speed, lift off a certain way angled just so right and carry your body a certain way for the best landing possible.  You only had about 5 ft. of metal cellar door that you could land upon or your face or butt would be kissing some extremely hard surface at a painful speed.  Once you landed on the cellar door, then you proceeded to roll off the door and then shoot airborn for another time period and then roll down the hill and out the gate into the alley. Just prior to exiting the property line it was always best to grab ahold of the massive bamboo plants that framed your prized ending.  

Hah.. this very unathletic uncoordinated girl had finally found something I was actually really great at.  The fun we had soaring through the air and the landing was exhilarating.  There was only two problems: 1. I had finally found something athletic I was pretty darn good at, but I couldn't tell anyone. Cause I knew the minute that little tidbit of info was let out, then my air sailing days were over.  Crap!! Couldn't even brag about it.. proving that in fact.. my skills were completely lacking..  And 2.  the one time I did not land correctly on the cellar door.  Now that's where the learning experience kicked in.  Cause you have never experienced shin pain until you fly through the air with the greatest of ease, only to have your landing gear prematurely hit the ground.. in this case.. shin directly at the most precisely most painful angle of the edge of the said cellar door.  Upon which, your face then slaps the intended target surface area of the door.  Lesson #3:  You gotta hide your battle scars and pain so your most delightful sport won't be spoiled.  Live and Learn People.. Live and Learn

Which leaves me to today:  Read a great quote from one of my favorites, Michael J. Fox "Live to Learn".. how profound.. and proof that the twist of just one little word can make it all different in purpose.  So this is what I want my kids to know..  I hope they find their 'extreme roof skating'..whatever that may be.. But I don't think I can stomach knowing what it might be.  And sometimes, kids can be absolutely courageous, outrageous and completely fearless.. Something we adults need to remember from time to time.  Something else I realized just now.. I have never been able to understand geometry or physics.. But I just realized that I did ace some of it when I was exploring my boundaries.. And I did figure out those skills through tria and error.. Something a text book can not teach!!  And hell.. my shins still hurt just thinking about that ONE miscalculation!! 

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize


they were the big things.



-- Robert Brault