Wordless Wednesday -- When the Present's Just Right

Watch --- a little poem

Somewhere it says *better late than never*. That is what my blog is today; late. When the coin was flipped it came up heads and the topic/theme is watch. There are many times in life when all we can do is watch.



WATCH by Patsy

Watch
A tiny baby smiles

Watch
I don't need your help

Please watch
I will make you laugh

Don't watch
This is embarrassing

Watch
I'm going to get it right

Watch
I'll wear this white dress

Watch
I can't stop the pain

Watch
Life is much to short

Watch
It's all a mom can do

You'll Always Be My Baby

I've been catching up on blog reading and was over at Secret Agent Mama where she had posted a lovely letter to her youngest, her now 2 year old son. Today, one day later than her wee one's birthday, is my baby's birthday.

Amy was a huge surprise to me. I thought I was through having babies when I found out I was pregnant with her. I'm glad I wasn't. She has filled my life with so many happy, exciting and wonderful moments.

We love to tease her. She has always been so trusting and gullible that jokes were easy to pull on her. But though she might storm and rant for a few moments, she also smiled and joined in the fun quickly.

There are many Amy stories to tell. How the puppy English bulldog treed her when she was 5, or how she had her sister order her a Guadalajara (a chalupa made only with guacamole) but hold the guacamole. How when she was in kindergarten she got an F on a paper because she chose to not follow the directions (What's the big deal if the teacher says use red and blue and you use black and orange because that is the school colors?). And scary funny that I heard about -- asking Donna how to drive around a curve while actually driving down the highway approaching a rather dangerous curve at full speed. The list could go on, but each story always end with me loving you more, with me being blessed because you are in my life.

All your successes: hitting a home run in softball, being in the *Olympics of the Mind*, being a cheerleader, being the best welder in shop class, being 2nd runner up in the Miss something, something Fair, running cross country, playing basketball, being annual editor, raising that silly pig, finishing college in 3 1/2 years, getting your teaching degree, and giving birth to two wonderful children. I know I have left many things out, things that were important at the time, things that helped make you who you are today.

Now you are a grown woman, one I am so very proud of. Working as a pre-school teacher with 4 year olds, being Mom to A and B and wife to Dave, being active in your church and having a gift for scrap booking the most simple yet beautiful photo albums. (Don't scoff people, it isn't as easy as it sounds.)

Happy Birthday, Amy. I hope you have a wonderful day. And as you start living year 34 of your life (yes, you just turned 33 which means you are starting on year 34) I hope you can continue to reach the goals you have set for yourself.

Always
My

Youngin'

To Bow or Not to Bow

The other night with the group of women here one of the ladies commented on the stack of presents I had arranged under the window in the dining room. (They were just stacked there, because I don't have a tree up to put them under.) She said she liked the old fashion paper I had used and the fact that I did not have bows on the packages.

I explained that all the presents had to be packed in the car to carry with us to Amarillo for the holidays and bows always just got smashed or knocked off. So I had learned they were a waste of time when they had to travel.

She went on to explain that in her family they never put bows on presents, but that her husband's family always had the fancy paper and fancy bows on theirs. She said she wasn't used to all the paper and bow fuss even after 30 years, but she was getting better at it.

That go me to thinking about Christmases past. I've done packages many ways. Some years the bows were more important than the present in the package. I spent hours making fancy ribbon bows in colors to co ordinate with the paper. Other years I have just wrapped the present and stuck a tacky star bow on them. The past few years since we travel with presents *across the river and through the woods* to the grandchildrens' house I've gotten away from bows entirely.

How about you? Do you use bows? Do you make your own or buy them? Are your presents all color coordinated with ribbons and bows? Or is the pile under your tree a menagerie of paper, star bows, pretty shiny paper with pretty ribbons and the every popular Christmas bags with tissue poking out the top?

Post script about Rudy. Today Rudy visited the school. It was good to see him up and about, but it broke my heart to hear the report that was given after he left. He will be receiving radiation and chemo treatment. The cancer is advanced, the prognosis not good. Please continue to pray for him and his family. They are people of strong faith who know that God will answer their prayer how He knows it should be answered.

I'll Get 'Round Tuit, Really I Will

Tuesday and time for a flip of the coin. Ahhh, heads and the topic is "anything round." Round like a ball? Round like a circle? What thoughts come to mind?

Does 'round toit? Pictured on the left is a 'round tuit' offered on line for a mere $25.11.

Boy could I have used this a few zillion times in my life. Like just about everyday. I'm a procrastinator -- the one who puts things off until crunch time. I have very good intentions. I plan to get things done but I find that many times I just don't get 'round tuit. If I only had one of these coins things could have/would be so different.

The round tuit seems to have played an important part in history also, as evidenced by the following copied articles.

Egyptian Round Tuit History
A long time ago, in ancient Egypt…
Procrastination is not a modern problem - even in the time of the Pharaohs in ancient Egypt, people found it hard to get things done.
Take Queen Neffatuit, for example. She would put off even the most trivial of tasks, but the great Pyramid of Neffatuit must be her most famous legacy.
Such was the concern at the time that the great pyramid would not be completed, a beautiful gold plaque was crafted and given to her for her 40th birthday. This round ‘Tuit’ was a sign from her people and her son, Tuitkharmen, that she needed to pull her finger out and finish the project. The completed pyramid stands as a reminder to all that procrastination can affect us all - but can be overcome with the right help.
Over 3,000 years later, the gold round ‘Tuit’ that had been presented to Queen Neffatuit was discovered in a hidden tomb at the Valley Of The Kings. Now you can own a beautiful miniature of the round ‘Tuit’ that helped a famous Egyptian overcome her procrastination.

Roman Round Tuit History
A long time ago, in Roman Britain...
Meet Procrastinatus. He was a Roman, who lived in Britain some two thousand years ago.
Although many things were different with life in those times, Procrastinatus had one thing in common with many of us today - he liked to put things off.
"Why do it today, when it can be done tomorrow?", he asked.
There was one particular task which Procrastinatus would not do for several years, much to the distress of his wife - fix the under-floor heating. In fact, after a couple of freezing winters, she was so fed up she was ready to pack her bags and return to Rome.
Finally, Procrastinatus saw sense and repaired the heating system.
His wife was so pleased she had a special, round, bronze plaque commissioned to thank him for finally getting around to it.
And so, nearly 2,000 years later the Round Tuit was discovered at an archeological dig in Somerset, England, alongside a rather splendid (but obviously lifted and repaired) mosaic floor.

King Arthur & the Knights Of the Round Tuit
In Medieval times, the legendary King Arthur had assembled twelve chivalrous knights of the realm to protect the kingdom from evil and harm. Unfortunately, there were two problems within the ranks: infighting over status, and chronic procrastination.
Thus, King Arthur asked the wizard Merlin to fashion a finely crafted, large round table (known as a Round Tuit) to be used for the assemblage of the twelve knights. The round table ensured that no single knight sat at the head of the table and, being a Round Tuit, it also stood as a symbolic reminder to go out and get the job done.
Later, as the knights ventured further from Camelot, King Arthur had twelve gold medallions minted, depicting the Round Tuit, and reminding each knight of his duty to never falter.
The medallions also showed King Arthur and the twelve knights of the Round Tuit. As time passed, the medallions themselves became known as ‘Round Tuits’ – to serve as a reminder to get around to it and complete the task in hand.

Yes, if I had only had a 'round tuit' earlier in my life I wonder where I would be today?

Successful Holiday Party

The house is quiet now. The candles have all been blown out, the dishes put in the dishwasher, the leftover food stored away to be eaten for the next couple of days.

We laughed about life. We told tales of our grandchildren. We listened and consoled about those we care about who aren't doing well. Then we laughed some more.

We ate. The variety of food was interesting. Seven women told to bring something; we would share a meal. Nothing more said. The menu ended up being pinwheel sandwiches, veggie pizza, a veggie tray, chips and dip, and an unusual dish made with artichoke, mayonnaise, and Parmesan cheese. (I wasn't sure about that last dish. I sampled it, and I'm still not sure.) We did have some homemade divinity and my brownie torte as sweets. Iced tea and water.

We exchanged gifts. In this exchange we passed the gifts to the left and back to the right as a story was read. Each time the word right or left is said you had to hand the package off. The fun part was that the gifts had to be something you had at your house that you either no longer used (but it was still in excellent condition) or something you were giving as a re-gift. NO buying was allowed, and the present had to be wrapped in newspaper --- no pretty packages. Of course all the gifts were great things. I ended up with a candle.

Then we had a review of the book we are working our way through --- this was a working party and I must say I think we actually got more done tonight than we usually do. The fellowship we share before seemed to help us focus when it was time to actually discuss how we can involve women in the church who aren't now active.

I was nice to have this small group of friends here to share some holiday fun in my home. I love hosting. I was well worth the wee bit of stress I put myself through getting ready.