Alllllll better

My computer is acting all crazy and slow...must be the Halloween spirits!!! 

I am feeling much better my headache is all gone. We went to Liz's play last night and it was very good.  It was called Murder most foul, about a play with in a play.  Very, very fun.  I am impressed with the talent in my town.  Liz woke up crabby as I predicted and so did hubby.  BUT not ME!  We didn't get called for work Sunday at the club, meaning they must of had enough help for the big breakfast.  So Mark and I walked down the street to the little restaurant and had biscuits and gravy...yum!  Then we came home and I took a nap.  I love Sundays...

the perfect day to recharge my batteries. 

Now I am up and going to rake the leaves that blew down from all the houses in the neighborhood.  We had 30 mile winds for 2 days and all the leaves blew out of the trees and we live down wind from the other houses so we have lots of leaves.  But they are dry and easy to rake, besides they smell so good...I love the smell of burning leaves.  But we aren't supposed to burn, but somebody always does, so there is always that slight smell in the air. 

Then I am going to be on the look out for the goblins and ghosts, (spiderman and Cinderalla most likely) who will be wandering our neighborhood this Halloween evening....BOOOOOOOOOO!!  Have an awesome night!!

Just like that I feel sick.  Was doing just fine until a few minutes ago.  I don't like getting sick and I rarely get more than a cold.  Probably the weather changes here.  It was spring like and balmy yesterday and now it's windy and cold.

Oh well I am going to take a nap and then it's off the my little star's play.

ahhhhhhh silence

Mark feel asleep, so I am stealing some computer time.  He is off tomorrow because of the incoming rain.  Which means I can sleep in.  He likes to get up early...like 6:00 am early even on non work days...work days it's 5:00 am.  I am used to it and now that I have been walking home from work on my break I am feeling less stress and more awake.  Funny how alittle movement can do.

I made it through the sugared up school children.  I had a lot more junior high kids than I thought I would...they had a dance, but the kids that didn't go said the last one was lame and they played 80's music....HEY wants wrong with 80's music???????????  The grade schooler were a different matter...all wound up...at least there was no barfing. 

At midday I picked up 10 princesses, 1 pirate, 1 power ranger and Ryan...he had no costume, but honestly I think the kid could not have cared less.  This kid is the one that the afternoon driver wrote up because he wouldn't sit still.  I usually have to tell him to sit down 20 times and it doesn't help that kindergarten girls are BIG tattle talers and are always saying," hey bus driver, Ryans on floor, Ryans jumping seats, Ryans looking at me!.  Princesses must have been the thing to be in kindergarten because there were enough of them.  No exciting "home made" orginals.  I always tried to make my kids costumes it was so much fun. One year Liz was a basket of laundry, it was so fun.

Now I am tired and am going to move on now.  Night all.

It's Friday and today is the school parties.  So far so good, but the grade schoolers are VERY excited.  I am very glad I only bring home a very small group...I am always mindful of barfing.  Too much excitement, candy, and the flu bug going around!  It warm and spring like here, only very gloomy and overcast.  There was even the full moon peeking out this morning! 

Liz is still doing her play... she came home tired last night so I imagine she will be crabby by Sunday.  She will still go out trick or treating even at 16 she will throw on a custume and go out with her friends.  Yummmmy I just want to raid her goody bag!

Otherwise all is well here.  We are still juggling bills, but I think that will be ongoing for a while, but as I said God has always come through for us...always.  Even when Mark and I first got married, the company Mark worked for went bankrupt and the owner died from cancer and he lost his very good job, even when Mark went to the Union Pacific Railroad and was gone 3 weeks out of every month (leaving me with 5 kids, a large paper route and a dying mother) and they too laid him off after they merged with another railroad, even when he worked for 2 other guys who would never give him any hours, even when we tried it on our own and the union, and the breakdowns kept us from earning any money....we have always manged to feed our family, keep a roof over our heads, and help others...God has always saw us through.  And through it all we have grown stronger, wiser, closer and more aware of just how AWESOME our God is!

Make it a wonderful day...and be sure and hug and bless your loved ones...because a blessing isn't a blessing unless you say it.  Love!!  Rose

 

Ok day, Liz is at opening night for her play.  Because the drama department is so large there will be 2 casts.  She's doing the backstage crew tonight. She will perform Thursday night and Saturday night.  We are attending Saturday night.

One of my alternative school kids, got arrested and won't be back for four months.  Wow, that kid had so much going for him too.  Maybe this will teach him a lesson.  Hard to say.  I am known at work as "the one that could get a rock to talk" and I might say so myself that I have done a great job of getting the "shy" kids to open up.  Two kids moved in the school district within weeks of each other.  One very outgoing and the other very shy.  They didn't realize that  their backyards backed up to each other.  I pointed that out and now they are becoming buds.  It was a trying day though.  Everybody's wound up because of Halloween and the coming full moon.  I swear to that the Full Moon effects people.

So cute at Midday with the kindergarteners.  One little guy from Pakastain asked me yesterday if wanted to try ~ can't remember what he called it ~ but it's some sort of ethnic food from his homeland.  I said sure, so today he hands me a bag!  Inside is 6 or 7 of the yummiest peices of food I have ever ate.  They are some type of wrap that are put around a spicy meat mixture and then deep fried.  I felt so honored to have this child bring me this.  He is the kid that I thought was being bossy at my arrival time.  Come to find out he is simply telling me the time!  He also loves to give me the temp too!  We were talking about holidays, and I said something about Christmas and this little girl named Minha says, "I don't celebrate Christmas I am Hindu!"  Now you would have know something about my little town that is no longer LITTLE.  We used to be strictly a little "one horse" farm town.  But no more!  And I am quite happy about the changes, especially due to the fact that I get to spend time with so many different types of kids and so many cultures.  Talk about opening your mind!  Have a good night, Love Rose

Oh how I sometimes miss the simple times when I was home ALL day spending  the WHOLE day reading journals!  BUT I am needed in the world...to drive the little children of the town to and from school.  I guess in order to live a satisfied life you must do your part...and mine is to quickly run the vacuum and throw some wash on the line and scoot to school...I'll catch with you all later!  Love ROSE!

 I watched a very powerful sermon yesterday given by my favorite Paster.  He encouraged us to bless our children everyday.  And to stop believing in all the negativity about ourselves that we may have believed our whole life.  That's a tough one for me.  For many years I believed I had sinned so much that I was unworthy of God's gifts or His Grace for that matter.  I figured I was BAD and that if I was bad I was going to Hell so I figured I may as well have fun on the way.  That was many years ago before sobriety and unadulthood.  I know now that I am a beautiful child of God and created perfectly.

Trying to get my children to understand that about themselves is another story.  But I also learned that all I have to do is love them and let them know that love them every single day.  God will do the rest.  THANK GOD!  What an enlightening thougtht to see that I am just fine, just as I am at this very moment.  Very, very freeing.

Now I can go about my day! 

awwwwwwwwww

My oldest goes to Purdue University which is a big 10 school.  One of the benefits of going to a Big 10 school is the sports.  Especially FOOTBALL.  I never realized how much I missed watching a football game until my kids grew out of it.  I really don't like watching games just to watch...like my hubby does.  A couple of years ago Purdue had a quartback who took them to the Rose Bowl, which they lost, but it was so exciting.  We did see a game that year, the school is only 3 hours away.  That quartback is now playing pro.  I really haven't been watching much this year, basically started 3 weeks ago when Tim was home.  The quartback this year is up for the Heiseman.   Since that win three weeks they have LOST the last 2 games!!!  Very close games.  Boo hoo!  :).  I just love that school...so full of tradition, can you feel the pride I have in my son and the school he attends??  He will graduate this year and I can tell you the time has flown.  Anyway, it fun to watch the football games with my husband, because he loves sport and they usually put me to sleep.  Especially Nascar, which he adores, I have even fallen asleep at a live race.  Sad isn't it?

Otherwise, it's just a normal Saturday, it rained here so Mark was home.  After the rain it really warmed up, feels like summer again, but I know this won't last...Illinois winters can be brutal.

Dale went with Matt and Brandy to a wedding reception.  He needed to go.  He is letting his temper get the best of him in school again.  Parents out there PLEASE keep disciplining your kids when they are young and you still can.  This kid is so used to doing whatever he wants, I really feel like whatever progress we make goes out the window every few months.  But I am sure everything will work out.  Gotta believe he's here with us for a reason, hopefully to learn to control himself and get his act together.  I managed to straighten out his 2 brothers and they are doing a-ok. So I refuse to let this one beat me!  He's basically a good kid, but at 18 he has a lot more to lose than when he was younger.

Have a great Saturday!!!

 

Exciting week!

Been a loooooooonnnnnnnnng week, with loads of sick bus drivers and students.  My boss even had to go to the emergency room for an IV!  And she's my age!

First off this morning bright and early at 5 am.  CBC news Chicago came to our humble school.  Each week they feature a different school from 5 til 7 am. 

   I taped it so I can watch it later, my daughter was too tired to get up and go, but my stepson went.  I really was suprised Liz didn't go...her cast from her play was featured up front and personal.  It was cool in that every weather break, which is about every 10 minutes they showed a different group of kids.  So, so cool.  We are up to 2000 kids so there was a wide variety of them shown.  Of course the cheerleaders where clapping and kids were cheering.  It was awesome!

On Wednesday night Mark and I went and saw my favorite TV minister, Joel Osteen at the Borders bookstore.  He has written a book and we really get a lot from listening to him minister.  It was very exciting with a great turn out.  His wife is your typical Southern sweetheart.  She walked around the store and shook hands with everybody.  He is located in Houston Tx, makes me want to move to Texas!       Since there were so many folks there for the book signing we had to move quickly, but I did get to shake this wonderful man's hand.  And he said, "God bless you".  The thing is Mark started watching this man when we were at our lowest, and his words of God's unconditional love for us really gave us hope when we thought we had really missed up our lives.  The book is very easy to read as are his sermons.  That's why I say I wish I lived in Texas.  Lakewood Church is a bible based church, something that I really relate to.

Anyway, this girl is feeling very positive, even when things are gloomy here.  I still have bills, kids, the job, pets, and winter coming.  BUT I have GOD!  A God that made me perfect just as I am.  I hope all of you are feeling just as I am...knowing you are exactly where you need to be right at this moment!  Have a wonderful weekend!! 

headache

Came home to a house full of teenagers.  I have a horrible headache, hopefully my aspirin will kick in soon.  I love talking to Liz's friends as they all have great personalities.  And my house is the kid of house that is very laid back and not fussy at all.  Kind-a like me....I've been told that Liz's friends love coming here.  Dale was bad in that he had is girlfriend in without asking and no adult home...I will deal with him later.  The kids were fine didn't bother with my headache at all.  BUT my cat boxes stunk and of course the way the kids dealt with it was to close the bathroom door rather than change them.  ISH!  Kids.  But I love them!!

Sid called me from the car dealer, he managed to give me discount on my truck, he said senior citizen, whatever, but the price went down to $569.00 a little better.  But as I said what can you do?  I don't want to lose my license and if I don't get my truck tested for emissions I lose my job...

Got off work at about 1:00 and now the teenagers have left so it's peace and quiet...ahhhhhhhhhhhh....

Tomorrow night Mark and I are going to head to the Boarder's book store as a minister that we watch on TV will be doing a book signing.  His book is very uplifting, in a way that touchs both Mark and my soul.  One Sunday morning Mark was flipping the channels around and came across this gentlemen and we watch every week.  We really feel connected so it will be so exciting to meet him in person.  This past Sunday he talked about how it takes 5 positives words to make up for 1 negative.  And how we should try everyday to say and do positive things to people we come in contact with everyday.  I have been trying to be more positive. 

I have been working a lot.  Doing bus evacs.  This is when we go to the schools and teach the kids how to safely get out of the bus in an emergency.  God does provide as I am able to make up for my days off.  Since we are in a Union we do get some paid school holidays  off, but not everyone.  Right now every little bit helps.  But as I have done in the past I worry about today...tomorrow will take care of itself.

Love you guys!  Rose

After a nice Sunday in which I spend some of it getting the scoop on my 19 year old son Eric from his girl friend Tina.  Which is: he's doing ok in Junior College, He hurt his back at work, he dinged a car at Taco Bell (no damage), and he's roommates are slobs who don't go to classes.  Sounds normal to me!  Right?  I guess their apartment is a pig stye, and I am resisting the urge to run up there and clean it.  It's so bad that somebody who was visiting puked in the bathroom and nobody bothered to clean it up for 2 days.  Oh well, my kid's not drinking or smoking dope or otherwise.  So I am happy, if I survived my 20's so can he!!!

Got the bad news this morning from the repair shop, dear old "Sid" told me it's going to be $625 for a air pump and a oxygen sensor plus some other stuff, and $225 for the U joint that is about to fall off my pick up truck.  I said, "hey now just fix that truck enough for me to pass the emission test so I don't get my license pulled,"  My hubby can fix the rear end.  Don't have enough cash to get the truck out until Thursday.  The guy said maybe he could give me Senior citizens discount. HA!  Don't humor a mechanics daughter!  Ever!!  I know that these stupid anti pollution devices are there for a reason, but the darn truck has only 50,000 miles on it!!!  Oh well, Gotta do what ya gotta do.

Otherwise I am working like normal.  It's freezing here, but lucky for me Mark dropped me off on the way to work and Dale picked me up.  Tomorrow is a 1/2 day so more drama then....

Going to heat up the leftover soup...it's a good day for it!!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr chill!!!

Wow is it cold!  Poor kids must of froze out there playing soccer.  I was cold in the bus!  They ended up loosing by the score of 1 - 0.  Poor guys.  They don't talk much so it was a quiet ride in and a quiet ride home.  Although the ride was short 14 total miles.  Worked for 4 hours though.  Not bad for reading a magazine and people watching.

I do miss the days though when I used to be the mom freezing my tail off watching my kids play sports.  I truly miss those days.  Between all the kids we have I saw a lot of sports in my day.  Sound like an old lady don't I??  Well there's always grandkids!!!!!

Off to make a BIG POT of HOT soup!!

 

Is it Friday the 13th???

Oh man!  What a day!  None of this happened to me, but kids were puking and peeing on the various buses.  WE are responsible for hosing out our own buses, so these poor drivers had to clean out the mess.  Ew!   You'd think by now after all my kids I wouldn't be bothered by that sort of thing, but it's still pretty gross.  Then one driver who is a #1 pain (he always has to make a comment about EVERYTHING on the 2-way radio), got busted by the boss.  He was making a comment to a sub driver about her driving speed.  Thankfully for all of us who are sick of this pain, she said, "Sorry!  I am subbing and I am trying to make sure I don't miss any stops"  OOOPPPPSY!! and it's Friday too!  Mary (boss) is always much more vocal after a nice long week of whining.

My kids were very good, except there's dried mud everywhere...guess I'll have to get the hose out too!

Tomorrow, is the Sports trip so I need to go to the library for some reading material.  Could be a long day.  But that's cool I get paid by the hour.  Liz is going to the other school (the new one) dance.  That school has only Freshman and Sophmores in it.  And a lot of her friends attend there.  So far they have had quite a bit of fighting over there, a couple of arrests per week.  It's too bad some kids today don't want an education.  That school is high tech top of the line, with new swimming pool, awesome tennis courts, and totally beautiful and a few of them could care less.

Kids....I guess every generation has their problems....for instance yesterday I found out one of the alternative school kids, a girl, is having a baby in May.  WOW, she said she will get a job after she takes care of her probation.  I told her that was a good idea, finish school, get your act together before the "little one" comes.  Hopefully she will break the chain, she lives in section 8 housing so I dunno...very sad.  But God willing....not for me to judge just be an ear...

Hope you guys have a wonderful Friday night!

Friday

It rained a bit over the past two days, but fortunately Mark is working.  He's draining a pond so they can work tomorrow.  Whew!  We keep plugging along.  The only part I hate is having to deal with nasty creditors.  Do you ever notice (like any job I suppose), there are nasty and nice creditors.  I have one favorite that used to love to threaten me.  The last time I talked to him I got him to back off by being nice, but VERY firm.  Usually, I talk to somebody else there and they are ALWAYS nice.  Being a collection agent for a company must suck, I mean what a way to make a living especially if you are basically an unhappy person.  For me ... I'll deal with the public my way.  Trying not get hit on the road and making sure their little ones make it home in one peice.

One of my little kindergarteners name Agrim is going back to India today.  His little short, cute mom with a braid down to her knees says to me yesterday, "What would you like from India?"   I'm thinking wow what a nice lady.  I said really whatever she thinks...that wasn't good enough for her.  I have always loved Indian fabric so I say some fabric.  And she gave me a big smile.  It's really cool to deal with so many cultures.  I grew up in a basically white farm community.  Now we are very mixed.  I really think it expands the narrow minded ways of this town.  Growth can be good, and I tend to go with the flow.  Must be my age.

I have a field trip tomorrow, the Varsity Soccer team.  If they win the first game we go home to "rest" and then go back in the afternoon at 3:30.  They probably will win, because they have so far in this invitational meet.  So I should make up my time for last Monday's holiday.  Only thing is  that it's going to be 40 degrees with 30 mile winds....brrrrrrrrrrrrr  at least I 'm taking a newer bus with good heat.  Better bring some books and a blanket.

Welp I should go do something around here before I go back...finally snapped out the bad mood I was trying to have this morning.  Thankfully it didn't last long. 

 

Finally looking like Fall around these parts.  While the leaves aren't as bright and colorful as past years they are still very striking.  I live in the "old" part of town with many old grand maple trees, very beautiful.  My favorite part is taking a walk through town and kicking the leaves like I did as a kid.  Makes me HAPPY!  And I love the smell of old dry leaves.

Autumn always reminds me of my 2 children, Liz and Eric as they were both born right before Halloween.  I love halloween especially seeing how excited kids get.  Kids are so awesome, most of them are still so innocent.  Yesterday one of the kids at the Alternative school had a detention.  I only drive him when he is in trouble at school so I only see him then.  As I was driving him home we were talking about this and that, our shared interests.  He says to me...drive around bus driver I like talking to you.  Warms my heart.  Now this to me is God giving me a great big blessing!  Makes up for all the heavy traffic, impatient people driving and bad weather.  I love my job.  And my life, as a result of all our trails Mark and I are spending much more time appreciating each other.  And letting each other know that we care about the other.  Really makes a difference in this world knowing you have somebody on your side.  May you all feel the Hug of God today.  Take care of yourselves! Rose

I am awake....

Slooooow start this morning.  The downside to a 3 day weekend is the going back to work.  But I'll perk up.  They keep adding stops to my routes so everyday is an adventure! 

I have so many phone calls to make, I am overdue for my yearly "girl" appointments.  Gotta love those mammo's.  I need to call the student loan company's as they want my 2 kids that are still in college to start paying their loans.  AND I need to take the truck in to have them fix the "check engine" light, it's overdue for it emissions test.  I think I will sit myself down this afternoon during my break and do a appointment making blitz.  Works for me! 

Well, time to go back to work, my kindergarteners await me and God forbid I be late...those little stinkers tell time better than the older ones.  AND they nag more too :)

Happy day

 

 

It was a nice quiet day off.  First I took Liz over to the lady who needed a babysitter.  The little girl is 4 and I think Liz had a good day.  I only called and bugged her at least 5 times!!!  My daughter is very responsible and I know she did a good job.  She is due home in a few minutes. 

Eric came over too, as I called him and made him feel guilty.  He's doing very well too, as he paid me back some of the money he owed me.  Work is going well for him and says he's doing well at school too.  I remember Junior College being not too bad.  He's girlfriend is up there so I am sure she's keeping him in line.  When he and Tim get together they become quite the sarcastic pair.  My kids and their weird senses of humor.  I could tell he and Tim missed each other.  Tim just left a few minutes ago.  For any of you that say it's easy letting go of our your children it's not.  I am at place of acceptance.  I think because of losing so many people I have come to understand letting go.  My boys are out in the world now, and they are doing pretty darn good, if I may say so myself.  But I still miss them!

Tim and I went to the outlet mall, it's an outdoor center and very popular, so it was crowded.  I am not a big shopper.  I remember when I was single and first sober I would go shopping to make myself feel better.  Now I don't need things to feel better, I just ride out the feelings and they pass.

Last night I got stuck on the phone with the brother of the guy Mark used to work with.  In a desperate attempt to keep us from quitting his dead brother's business and therefore leaving this guys wife with no driver he lent us some money.   This was last December when work was very slow the union was taking $1500.00 a month.  We KNEW we could not continue with this business the way things were.  The truck had just broke down again, which cost us nearly $3000.00.  We were at our wits end. We had agreed to pay him when our truck sold.  We never should have gone against our instincts and took this money.  We were ready to work for someone else, but we went against our judgement.  This guy is used to being a bully and I didn't let him bully me.  I told exactly what I thought and said I was sorry for the delay in making payments.  BUT when you have a family they come first.  All this will work out.  I have a God that doesn't care how big the Mountain is.  He is taking care of all of this.  I get up each day and do what I have to be a good person.  My point to all of this is hindsight is one thing, but trusting that God will work everything out is what matters.  We are not bums nor do we not pay our debts.  Life is hard sometimes, but it always works out...it will be interesting to see how God does his work here.  He has already changed me and my Mark.  God bless!  Rose

The boy is home

The big boy is home from college.  He is doing fine and watching the Purdue football game with my hubby.  How time flies doesn't it?  I remember when this kid was just a wee one.  Now he's a BIG boy.  Well off to meet the parents of a couple that want Liz to babysit. 

 

Have a great weekend all...

Rain, Rain, and more Rain

It's raining this a.m. so that means wet junior high kids who have been standing at their bus stop and come in the bus and fog up the windows...God love these kids I am so lucky I have awesome students this year.  They actually have manners, wow I guess there is hope for our future.  I always wonder if my kids generation will put us old farts in a "day care" when we get too "demanding" and then come visit us for quality time.  I mean, a lot of my generation did that.  Dump our kids at the kiddie care day care center and expect somebody else to raise our young.  For me I was always fortunate, I had my parents, ex and brothers to help me with raising my kids when I had to work.  Very little official day care.  I shouldn't judge, but my experience is with the day care that I pick up that these kids have issues, and some of them bordering on serious.  But that's just my 2 cents.

And as for the stop arm runners, we have paperwork we do fill out when we are able to get the information off a car, but we are required to be very detailed.  Description of car, and even the person in the car.  Sometimes that's very difficult when you are trying to board a child.  We do what we can.  I am always amazed at how both bus drivers and your run of the mill joe on the street treat each other out there.  Everybody is ALWAYS in a hurry.  I worry that common sense has gone by the wayside.  But I try and be the example I am not perfect, but I try.

Well, enough of my opinion.  Hubby got rained out today so he's at the motorcycle shop with his son.  Good for him he needs to hang out with the guys.  Time for me to go back to work.  We have a 3 day weekend and I am looking forward to hanging around the house. 

Bye...Rose

 

I

don't know if a day goes by that some moran drives through one of our stop arms.  I had another guy do it this morning.  In the state of Illinois driving through a bus stop sign is a 6 month suspension on your driving rights.  This guy just looked at me with a stupid smile, nodding as he drove through.  I was on a busy street, making sure this kid didn't get run over, otherwise I could have gotten his plates.  A lady last week wasn't so lucky, she lives right where my route is and she was even dumber she not only drove through my stop arm she let me get a good look at her.  EEEECKKKK!!!  What I don't get is this...I have somebody's precious kid in my charge...somebody's kid that means more than anything to them and these people treat us like we are invisible, and that their drive to work is more important.  ISH!  Oh well, enough of that.  Everything else is quite normal, yesterday I opened my big mouth and made a comment to a new girl about one of the trainers going over a curb, clearly NOT on accident, and she told her.  So the trainer confronted me and I said, "yeah you went over the curb, don't make a big deal about it.".  She got mad at me, and made some comment.  Oh well!!!  She should not have done it.  Pop a tire and it's MY tax money.  I really didn't mean anything by it, I was just surprised that the trainer would not wait her turn at the stop sign and went over the curb. I know I said something to the girl because I knew it would get back to this trainer.  I do need to learn to shut up though.  I really am not the curb police, or the "your windows are below the line" police, or the "you're not supposed to idle at the school" police.  My bad.  I'll do better today.  Sometimes I can't help myself.  I get irrated at people that don't think rules apply to them.  I mean mistakes happen, but come on...we actually have made it the month of October with no accidents...I better not jinx us!!! :)

Oh well, I guess I should do alittle housework, I've been trying to catch up on jounals and YOU ALL do know how important that is???  Bye !

I am a victor not a victim

So far so good this week.  On Sunday my hubby and I made a decision to really pracatice trusting the God that we have been hanging around waiting to do something in our lives.  We have been beating both our heads against the wall trying to will change in our lives instead of trusting and expecting great things to happen for us.  The really neat thing is that we both have been individually and together asking God for guidance and it's working.  So far so good. 

Yesterday started out ok, but got really mixed up in the afternoon.  Our area is experiencing major growth and it seemed like everywhere I turned I was met with constrution workers.  These guys think they can use both sides of the street, stop and chat in the middle of the road and think that I should just back up when they don't feel like moving.  I refuse and smile and so far they have moved for me.  But it makes me very late.  I even had a 5 year old tell me off.  Not really but the little squirt said, "you are late, miss bus driver"  This kid is Indian and  is normally very quiet.  I tried to explain to mom but I don't think she speaks English as she stands there, smiling and nods.  Oh well, I fixed them I had my route times moved up 15 minutes, saves both my nerves and the school from yelling at me when I am late. 

One thing about getting older and wiser is that I look for the easier way to deal with things.  And although I do like a challenge I would just be satisfied with a nice easy work day and then I can come home and get some work done around our old house.  Sunday we trimmed away a bunch of ugly bushes.  Now at least we can get to the house to paint it. 

Mark has been much happier too.  Makes for a happy home.  And little Dale my stepson caught himself talking back to me.  So I guess there is hope for that kid yet.  Liz is in "love" again so she is happy.  Tim my college boy is coming home this weekend and hopefully he will be a happy boy too, that will make it 5 for 5.  What else can a person hope for???

Yipppeee the girl's boootiful!!

Sara and her sister made it in time to make my girl shine.  They curled her hair and added just the right amount of makeup.  She is sooooo beautiful!  Her dress is black and strapless, with a cut in of hot pink.  It's floor lengh.  Sara has known my husband and his boys since she was in grade school, she has dated Jim on and off for many years and now this young lady is studying in Chicago to be a nurse.  She always comes through and we love her for it!  Now we love her awesome sister too.  Yeah the daughter is happy and so is the mother.  And they young man, Mike he looked so handsome.  And he's a nice kid too!  Yea!

Today is a day that I feel a some sort of spiritual awakening.  My whole life I have been on some sort of mission.  I was a very odd child (oops still am!), always searching and never finding my place in this world.  I guess I never thought I measured up.  I still am that way.  Always trying to please, never quite fitting in.  But that's ok, I am older and wiser and realize that life is very short and we really never get it perfect.  I actually did some crying today.  On the way to the tire dealer.  Got there and wasn't surprised to find out that the price that was quoted online wasn't the right one.  But I'll deal with that later.  I could have stayed in town and paid close to that price with a local guy, but then I wouldn't have had the joy of crying.  I am really not a crier.  Years of turning off my feelings have made it difficult to turn those feels back on.  But they are there and they love to pop up whenever they feel like it.  Guess that is what being human is all about.

Today is my daughter's homecoming dance.  She's at play practice now.  She's not happy with me because I refuse to pay $50 for a hair do, that I don't think she will be happy with anyway.  If this was Prom I'd spring for the do, but not homecoming.  But Sara will be over to help her with her makeup and I think the hair will get taken care of then.  Sara is my Stepson's girlfriend.  And a real sweety.

Hubby's getting overwhelmed with life again.  His striving for perfection and he's demanding of everybody else to be perfect is annoying at times, but it's his lesson to learn and he is at least recognizing it.  You know it's hard being married.  Now I see why people who don't really love their mates give up.  I love mine and I see through all his faults, and see the Man I love.  He's not perfect, but God knows either am I.  Sometimes live is hard, but the sun is shining, I have food in the house, hubby's at work, and it's a good day. 

Have a great weekend!