My day started out quite "interesting" on the 5th. I can honestly say that in the almost fifteen years that I have lived in Tennessee, this was a first. It would also suit me just fine if it were a "last"...
Picture, if you will, coming downstairs to cook breakfast on the Saturday morning of your long vacation weekend. Per Gregory's request, I turn the oven on to prepare for the fixing of Grands Cinnamon Rolls. When what do my wondering eyes behold? A raccoon asleep on my back deck. Now, ladies & gentlemen, there is no cause to be alarmed. Common sense was the "ruler of the morning". I don't care how cute a raccoon is, one does NOT get near unless one is more that just a "wee bit daft in the head". I proceed in making some noise to wake up my unexpected deck guest.
I do have to say that at first it was rather amusing. If I were to initially interpret the scene, it would be as follows... "Sheesh, lady - would you STOP the banging; I'm up, I'm up!! I can't help it if me and the fellas partied too hard last night. I passed out on your back deck because I just didn't have it in me to take ONE more STEP to make it back home before sunrise. Gimme a break, will ya?"...
However, much as it looked like this at first, that was not the case. This poor little guy had one of three things wrong with him: - He'd been poisoned
- He had distemper
- He had rabies
Now of course NONE of these options is even a remotely "good" possibility. After much trial and error, a very nice man from the City Animal Control came out and removed "Rocco" from my back deck. The trial & error came from my my home being technically in the "county" and therefore falling under the jurisdiction of County Animal Control (whom I couldn't ever get ahold of).
After a leisurely and thankfully uneventful drive, Gregory & I arrive at Uncle Nathan & Aunt Lisa's house in Murfreesboro to pick up "The Gabester". Lisa and Gabe are in the backyard doing various puppy chores. Unfortunately, Nathan is toiling away at the "Wicked Double C" (my recent nickname for Circuit City) and will not arrive until later.
Gabe had an amazing time that week. He went to work with Aunt Lisa everyday at MTSU. He attended the Sports Day Camp there and had a blast. He got private swimming lessons every morning with "Miss Alex" and learned a TON. Take a wild guess at his FAVORITE part of the swimming lessons???? =)
We amused ourselved with the puppykins - Amity and she amused herself with her little wading pool - it was hot enough I just about joined her... I gave it some serious consideration, let me tell ya!
We were all MIGHTY brave being in that backyard at that time of day... I have two words for you....
SKEETER FOOD
Which was the last thing I needed (or wanted). I can look like a skeeter pin cushion in no time flat, so after a little while, we were all sporting little yellow ankle bracelets to ward off the pesky critters.
As Gabe so delicately put it, "The only thing that likes to come around this thing is flies - because the bracelet smells like crap!" Well, I'll take that any day to try & keep from getting "et up" (as some of my southern friends might say).
To Be Continued...
My first born is back in town - yeah!! I think for the FIRST time in my recollection, The Chattanooga Boys Choir actually returned EARLY from their tour. When I say early, this is what I mean....
Parents (or grandparents, etc) are told to be at the pick-up location at let's say 10pm. the tour bus will return at approximately this time. You will then proceed in taking your weary chorister home from tour at this time.
So there you are...sitting in the parking lot, reading a book (you don't want to kill your battery listening to the car stereo), because you know there is a VERY good possibility that you will be waiting longer than planned. The bus most likely will be late arriving home; this is usually due to traffic.
My Mom & Dad have been known to be waiting for a tour bus at 11pm because I had to be at work the next morning and Gabriel was in the bed asleep (and then the bus is late - eek!)
Gregory's Chattanooga grandparents (a.k.a. Mike & Nita) were picking him up from tour this evening. At precisely 8pm, I got a phone call from Gregory saying hello. What a pleasant surprise - the bus was actually early today! Woo-hoo!!
Interesting tidbit for you Casting Crowns fans: Their upcoming Christmas CD will feature The Chattanooga Boys Choir performing backup vocals for the song "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day." Gregory had a great time talking to lead singer, Mark Hall at the end of the afternoon. He also got his shoe autographed (and he wasn't the only one who had their shoe "marked by Mark"). I didn't think to give him one of our Casting Crowns CDs, his t-shirt from their concert tour was dirty; just a comedy of errors!
The boys had a great time on tour. If you'd like to read about their recording session with Mark Hall from Casting Crowns and their summer tour, here is a link to their website - this should take you straight to their tour journal: http://www.chattanoogaboyschoir.org/summer2008.html
God bless and have a wonderful weekend celebrating the Fourth of July!!
Well, here it is....my new blogspot. I wanted to finally create a place where we can share thoughts and photos with our family & friends.
I hope you get a "kick" out of the name. I realized how difficult it is....trying to come up with something unique and slightly clever - different from everyone else's blogspot. This name came to mind and I decided to stick with it. What can I say? I just couldn't help it! *grinning with one eyebrow raised*
Right now, I am sitting in a quiet house....a pleasant, however odd sensation when everything around here is normally quite noisy.
Gregory is on his last tour with the Chattanooga Boys Choir and is in San Antonio, Texas at the present moment. He will be entering the realm of high school as a freshman at Tyner Academy in August. This particular statement still completely freaks me OUT! Is that even possible? He'll be 14 in September and was 5' 4" when last measured. He is quickly catching up with me in the height department. One day in the VERY near future I'll wake up and he will have raced past my 5' 8" and will completely tower over me (This is not difficult to do when Daddy's 6' 5"). It seems like only yesterday that Gregory was starting middle school and Gabe was starting Kindergarten.
Speaking of Gabe...he is currently at his other abode. This is also known as any of the following:
- Daddy & Mama Nell's
- The Other Dies Abode
- David & Janelle's
I feel like all I did was blink and here they are - in high school and the middle of elementary school. They just keep on growing... As my Grandpa Eddy always used to say, "I'd put a cinder block on your head if I thought it would help." But as we all know it doesn't - it is a nice thought, though.
My current nickname for Gabe is "shorty" - I feel the slightly bizarre need to call my youngest this because yes, he is the shortest in the family at the present moment (cats not included). I guess I feel the need for this particular nickname because I don't think he'll be "shorty" for long. He was measured in April at the doctor's office at a shocking 4' 5" tall and he's only eight years old. This is one inch shorter than Gregory was at age ten. He has a set of "puppy feet" to match the height - kids size 4.5 - which as far as I'm concerned is just crazy for his age!! For those of you not fully aware of older kids shoe sizes, they kind of run out at around size 5.5 or 6 and you have to go to the men's dept to look for shoes.
I am waiting for the day when I walk into my house and hear some strange man's voice upstairs... Thoughts flash in the mind of "how did they get in" and "call the police" - only to realize that it's my oldest kid talking to a friend on the phone or something, you know? It won't be long and that will BE my reality.
Time marches on.........I only hope it doesn't march right across my face! LOL!!
I promise that I will get some recent photos of the kids posted very soon. I hope to talk with all of you VERY soon. Enjoy!
As Gabe so delicately put it, "The only thing that likes to come around this thing is flies - because the bracelet smells like crap!" Well, I'll take that any day to try & keep from getting "et up" (as some of my southern friends might say).