About that change...

...I mentioned was a comin'. Well it sure is and in a big way for me and my little family! My cousin owns a cleaning business and called to see if I knew anyone interested in renting a house she was working on. No one came to mind right away but I asked her to give me some details and I'd ask around. She gave me the details and I called the owner to say "We'll take it!"

I am the picture of stability, rarely rocking the boat enough to cause any kind of change in my life, good or bad. Moving has always scared the poo out of me because it entails packing and cleaning out and leaving the neighbors and relocating my animals and a whole bunch of other stuff regular people do all the time. I have been in the same crappy little rental house for almost 9 years, but since my son came along and is now literally climbing the walls, it has become increasingly obvious that we are due for an upgrade. (Don't get me started on the idea of actually buying a house because I will have a come-apart.) The yard is small and we live on the second busiest street in town so outside play for my son and the dog is just not an option. My landlord now lives out of the state so the maintenance on the place has taken a nose-dive. ( The tree that went through my roof in August is still lying where it landed in the back yard after the boy who occasionally cuts the grass came and pulled it out. )

Our new home sits in the middle of an old tobacco farm. The land is now used for cotton crops and a tree farm and is littered with barns, sheds and other out-buildings whose original use is yet a mystery to me. The entrance to the place is a lovely drive through young pines. Our house was built in the late 1800's and part of it was the farm's commissary. Its lofty ceilings, myriad of windows (that really open!) and shotgun layout are in stark contrast to the cramped, dark little abode my kids have grown up in. While I doubt that I have enough furniture to fill the place, my son will be thrilled that he can ride his skateboard straight through the front door and out the back!

This move is going to be so good for us in so many ways. Sam and Bubba will have acres and acres to run and play and Sara will have more room to do whatever it is teenagers do these days. And I'll have a clear view of the stars and no street noise as I relax in the comfort of my screened porch. Life is good!

Say what?

Conduct and character are largely determined by the nature of the words we currently use to discuss ourselves and the world around us. ~ Aldous Huxley

One of my co-workers used to constantly tell me to watch my language. I didn't get it and assumed she was being sarcastic because I wasn't in the habit of using foul language at school. So I asked her about it. She explained that a pastor she enjoyed often reminded people that when we verbalize negativity we are also hearing it and usually internalizing it in some way. At her suggestion I started listening and heard myself refer to myself as old, fat, tired, poor, stupid, lazy, mean and a host of other not-so-wonderful adjectives. If someone else had called me these things I would have protested and considered him hostile, but I didn't seem to mind calling myself names. Hmmmm...made no sense.

Now, I'm not saying it was an epiphany nor am I into daily affirmations, but I decided to make a concerted effort to change the things I was hearing about myself and my life. I thought I was wonderful so I should be portrayed as such, no? "We are eating light this week" sounds (and feels) so much better than "I'm too broke to go to the grocery store." And instead of being old and forgetful I have become the Sticky Note Queen! I have a long way to go, but it is getting easier as it becomes a habit. And much to the chagrin of my cohorts I have begun telling them to watch their language. It's kind of funny sometimes, especially when my daughter refuses to agree that mom is "hot."

Change is a'comin!

Bubba Chandler Boykin



At least that's what I keep hearing. Today brings the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the Unites States. It is obvious to me that the majority of my friends are Republican and none too happy with today's event, while the people with whom I work and the community in which I live are ecstatic and reveling in the glory of the day. Therefore, I have been in the position to get both sides of all the arguments for the past two years. I think we should all step back and look the big picture. President Obama is a man. He's human. He is not the anti-Christ nor is he the Messiah. Change is definitely going to come, but it won't be overnight and might not be all bad for the Republicans or all good for the Democrats. Americans are long overdue for the message that has tried to spread through this country for the past couple of generations: give peace a chance.
Now, since I know that if we keep doing what we've been doing we keep getting what we've been getting, I am going to implement some change myself. This blog is Step Two. Step One involves the two parties I have attended over the past two weekends. I am putting myself out there more. My world has gotten very small over the past couple of years and it is time to expand! I adore the tiny circle of very close friends and family that I have flourished in, but it is time for some fresh faces and new perspectives. I could also use a wardrobe planner!
We have just gotten a new (used) dog who has added another dimension to our home life. Having to get up and walk him at daybreak in 33 degree air was quite a reality check for my teenager! Leaving the door open and hearing me curse as I chased him across three front lawns was a learning experience for my four year-old! I hope the blinds are still up when I get home.