Week 12 of 52
Well, howdy y’all. How are ya doin?
Me? Feelin’ a bit overwhelmed to tell ya the truth. You ever feel that way? Lately, I’m just tired, stressed, so forgetful I think I have the early stages of Alzheimers, too much to do, not enough money, not enough time, dealing with a hot-headed person at work, not enough patience, obviously not enough faith in God nor myself, and it’s all a bit too much to deal with right now. So, with that said, I’m getting it out of my head and putting it in my pocket. I’ll pull that out and look at it a bit later. I figure if I ignore it, it won’t exactly go away, but I can ignore it for a little while before having to deal with it again. No, for now, in this very moment, I will blog, I will think of happier times with Hallie (not the bad teen attitude I dealt with last night and this morning). I will try to think of the positives. What are the positives? Let’s see…
I’m so much of a list maker (I am a Virgo, so I can’t really help it. I’m cursed to be this way.)
1) I have an awesome kid (even if she does occasionally get testy), who is one of my best friends;
2) I have the world’s sweetest, loving mom, who is one of my best friends;
3) I have some really great friends who love me and make me feel special;
4) I love to blog, when I have time (or should I say “make” time);
5) I have furbabies that I love (yes, even our murderous cat, Tiger);
6) We still have our beloved Buddy, whom my brother saved last week (more on this below);
7) I have a job that helps pay the bills (even if I don’t like my job the majority of the time);
8) Hallie and I are over our sinus/allergy crud and my poison ivy is on its way out;
9) I have a home that comforts and protects us;
10) I have a car that runs;
11) I am happy my brother lives next door who helps look out for all of us;
12) I am happy to live in the country, which is not always peaceful, but a darn sight quieter than livin’ in the city. Been there, done that. Threw out the return ticket;
13) I have so much to be thankful for and so many blessings (that I seem to take for granted the majority of the time) and I thank God and Jesus for all they have done for us, and still do;
14) I love to write (although I do experience the occasional block, set back and self sabotage);
15) I love photography (although I do experience the occasional block, meaning my eyes are too closed, my legs and arms are too busy, so I don’t always participate in the beauty that surrounds me 24 hours a day);
16) and the list could go on and on, but I feel better now. So, I’m gonna work on focusing on the positives for the rest of the day. Let’s see how long I make it.
What’s been going on in your lives over the past week?
As you can see above, Hallie’s Beta Induction Ceremony was last week. She’s in the Jr. Beta Club again this year. She’s a brainiac. She’s earned it. I’m a proud mama if ya can’t tell.
Hallie and I are doing the 21 day meditation challenge together in the mornings. I started over since she came home from Spring Break, so we could do them each day together. They are quite enjoyable, and I love the music, and Deepak’s voice. I don’t know if practicing the meditation has helped me any, thus far. I am trying to learn how to be still and silent and just be. That is a feat in itself. Plus, it’s a nice quiet bonding time for me and Hallie, so that’s always good. We completed Day 8 this morning, so perhaps we will have established a new daily habit by the time we reach Day 21.
I’m working on notes for my upcoming Camp Nano project, which have been some most enjoyable jaunts, but alas, I never seem to have allotted myself enough time, I get carried away, and then my alarm goes off, telling me I need to either go to bed, or finish getting ready for work, depending on the time. Always depending on the time… I want to be more like Hallie, not care what time it is, take my time, my sweet time, in everything I do, never wear a watch, and let someone else tell me when I need to do something. Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care? 
5 more days till Camp begins! I’m totally stoked!! At least I’m excited instead of a nervous wreck, so that’s good. Last time, I started a few days late, was acting like a psych patient on a caffeine drip, and didn’t quite make my word count, which sent me into a complete funk, even though I refused to admit it at the time. Who is happy when they fail? I mean, really. Truth is, I didn’t organize my time properly and this is why I failed. I’m prepared this go round, and I’m chomping at the bit to get started. Ideas are pouring out of my mind, out of my subconscious, out of my dreams, out through my fingers and I’m typing the notes as fast as I can, or scribbling, or taping them on my handheld.
Hallie and I actually made time to spend with some of our best chums over the weekend, so I’m slick with social time and catching up with some peeps.
Still, no sight of Carlie. :’( Miss that sweet, fluffy baby.
We had been putting Buddy on the yard cable during the day instead of his kennel. That way, he could lay and roll in the grass, or get in his other dog house, roam around and have some more stretching room, since the weather had been mostly nice. Well, I guess Doug happened to go outside and heard Buddy barking, and it was coming from the pond! Buddy had escaped his cable somehow and either jumped or slipped off the pier into the pond. He was dog-paddling (if he’s a dog, do you say ‘dog-paddling’, or just ‘paddling’?) himself back up onto the pier, or attempting to. Don’t know why that boy didn’t paddle his way to shore and just climb/crawl out, but he was trying to get back up to where he fell off. Bless him. I’m sure that boy was getting tired, and started begging for help. Thank God that Doug heard him when he did, or sweet Buddy would most likely not be with us. We heard about it when we got home, and we just loved and loved on that sweet Buddy, telling him we were sooooo glad Doug saved him and he was okay.
Mama is not well, yet, but she is much better, so we’ll take it.
I reckon I’ll mosey on over to my 101 things in 1001 days and update that. I don’t know that I have anything to update, but ya never know.
Y’all just holla when ya have a prayer request, and please pray for those below, if ya don’t mind.
1) Please pray for Kristie and David, for comfort and peace.
2) Please pray for Jennefer about her job, as well as her co-workers. Please pray that her co-workers to treat her with love and kindness.
3) Please pray for Sherree to quickly sell her house.
4) Please pray for Carlie to be safe and well.
5) Please pray for Carlie to come by sometime and let us know she’s ok.
6) Please pray for Mama to get well and feel good again.
7) Please pray for Patrick to find the woman of his dreams, fall in love and get married. Pray he finds her this year.
So, yeah, I know this was a bit long-winded. Sorry ’bout that. Lots goin’ on, huh? It’ll be short and sweeter next time. Y’all have a groovilicious week!!! Enjoy the sunshine if ya have any. Try to take time (not like me) to notice the beauty around you during the day, each and every day. Love yooze guys!!! *smooch* *squish*
-Carol
(Hallie says, I’m so friggin’ pale!) 
