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Okay, 2016…Let’s Do This!

January 1, 2016 By kelly 1 Comment

Two blog posts in two days. Say WHAT?! I’m certainly not willing to say I’ll post every day for long periods of time, but this is a pretty decent start to reviving the old blog.

NYE 2015 was a pretty fun evening. Typically, the fam stays up and I go to bed because I am a go-to-bed-early girl (ask ANYONE I know) and I’ve always said the new year was coming in with or without me, so I could ring it in behind my eyelids, thankyouverymuch. With that thought and plan in mind, we made plans to head out to the square for dinner and then catch the 7pm ball drop. Right here and now I’m owning my wimpiness because I don’t do late and I don’t dig big crowds. So, this seemed ideal because it would get us out of the house for a bit AND I could be in PJs fairly early. Win/win! And, it really turned out to be a fun plan. We had a great dinner and then did some cute and fun stuff around the square before the drop was to happen at 7pm. Here’s our family in a selfie just before the drop:

nye2015
(Side note/question: WHY do my side bangs separate lately?! Dude.)

Just before 7pm, the countdown started and DOWN rained stuffed Chick-Fil-A cows. I am totally not making this up. It happened. If I’m being completely honest, it was fairly anticlimactic, but…whatever, we made the drop. HAPPY NEW YEAR…in England! Cheers!! And, off we scurried to head home. It was colder than we anticipated and we didn’t want to fight crowds, so we got up out and I’m not even remotely ashamed that we were home by 7:20pm.

The rest of our evening consisted of much vegging, watching “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” and catching some of NY Rockin’ Eve. I did NOT anticipate making midnight, but once the movie was over and it was almost 11, I knew I had to suck it up, buttercup. So, I did. I made midnight. Barely. HAPPY NEW YEAR again…this time in Georgia! And, off to bed. YES!

I had every intention of sleeping LATE this morning, but I woke up at 8-something or other and only snoozed slightly past. One thing nobody really tells you about being over 40 is that sleeping in really isn’t as easy as it used to be for a whole lot of reasons. But, there’s coffee in the house AND we can still have stevia and creamer since Whole 30 hasn’t started yet, so I was motivated to mosey on downstairs and start my day. Plus, being up before the girls gave Mickey and me some time to commandeer the WiiU and play some Mario Kart this morning. He dominates that doggone game, man. No joke. He has no shame in kicking my tail, but I digress. It was pretty cool just to have some mindless video game fun, just the two of us.

Macey got moving and we eventually poked the bear out of hibernation — I mean, we woke Mariana. We met up with our friends, Helen, Chris and Lewis for brunch at Goldberg’s. Remember how I posted about experiencing firsts this year? Well, I did one today. I had never had a latke before, but I had a couple with brunch today. Seriously delish! Good food and great company started our New Years Day off just right!! Came home and tried to nap, but I had a nap fail which annoys me because WHO FLUNKS AT NAPPING BESIDES ME?! For the love. Got up and did very little of anything for about an hour and then I prepared our traditional southern New Years meal. We had pork (well, not me — the fam. I don’t dig the pig.), turnips/mustard greens, black-eyed peas, macaroni and cheese and cornbread. Yea, it rocked.

ny_meal

Had a little family round of Mario Kart after our meal. Mickey is seriously shameless, y’all, and beat the stuffin’ out of the girls and me. No shame in his game. While that was going on, I had peanut butter cup brownies in the oven, so we had those after he outraced the girls and me. We decided to watch another movie and went with High School Musical. How in the world did this movie come out ten years ago already?! Gah. Unreal. But, hey, it’s campy fun and it was an easy watch.

So, that’s our day. 2016 is off to a great start. Although, if you spend your year, per wives tale, doing what you’ve done all day on the First, we are going to be lazy slugs this year. Just keepin’ it real. But, no…really, we did have a low key day, but it was a great day. Family time, friend time, good food — well, that’s just what we needed.

Here’s to 2016 — may it be kind to us all. As I posted on my FB a couple of years ago and again today, let’s embrace the good times, share the burden of hard times and love all the time!

Blessings,
Kelly

Looking to 2016…

December 31, 2015 By kelly Leave a Comment

Good gracious! It’s been a minute since I updated my blog. Wow. I didn’t mean to let it sit this long without an update. My intentions were good, but my follow through? Not so much. And, that leads me right into a goal I have for 2016 which is going beyond intentions and being more intentional. I know, that’s been a buzz word for a little while now. Maybe it’s even over-used in some circles, for all I know. But, it’s an honest-to-goodness goal for mine for this coming year. And, if I dust off the cobwebs of this blog and put my goals out there for, basically, THE WORLD (or all three of you who happen upon it) to see, then I have accountability to go with it. So, there’s THAT.

Before I post about next year’s goals, I am still reflecting back on the last year. 2015 — well, it was a year. And, frankly, it was a year that was all over the place. In January, we unexpectedly lost my beloved Pop and my heart broke with the loss of him here. I still miss him every single day even though I do take comfort in the fact that he’s healed and whole in the presence of Jesus. (You can read my eulogy for him here.) Even with some health issues and some other dips in the road along the way, 2015 was, by far, not a bad year. In autumn, Macey got to return to the soccer field after a foot injury sidelined her in the spring. It was great to see our girl back out there on the field getting after the sport she loves so much! We also got to see Mariana dance in the spring AND again in December in Nutcracker Swings and it’s also just wonderful watching her thrive in dance! 2015 gave our family many great memories such as hiking adventures, our first tent camping trip, a crazy fun beach trip with friends and MORE! So much more! And, I went back to work after being a stay at home mom for 13 years. I absolutely love my new job and I find that great working relationships AND dear new friendships are the best benefit there is! 2015 had its valleys and peaks, so when I look back on it, I see the good that was there and I thank God for His graciousness over every circumstance of our lives.

Now, on to 2016 goals. I’m trying to make them attainable and not lofty so that I can achieve them. These aren’t in any particular order:

Going beyond intentions to being intentional. I confess: I do intentions well. When it comes to the best of intentions, I’m rocking it. I mean, how many times have I said to a friend “Let’s get coffee sometime” FULLY and COMPLETELY wanting to do just that?! And, then no one plans it. I don’t get on Google calendar and mark out the date and time right then and there. WHY?! It’s because I have intentions and I’m not always being as intentional as I should be. Because, really, it doesn’t take much to go that extra step and say “Okay, yes! Let’s have coffee…and let’s get it on the calendar!” Things like that are what I’m working on being better about doing. Yes, I’m busy and yes, things get away from me sometimes. I think we can all relate. But, can’t we also relate to how awesome it is to connect with the people we care about? I need to do it at home too. Date nights? BEST of intentions. And, we maybe do a few a year. That’s going to get better. INTENTIONALLY. So, just be warned, loved ones — I’m on a mission!
More Bible in my life. This is another one where it’s totally a gimme for a Christian, right? But, really do want to get more into The Word. God’s Word never returns void and I just always need more in my life. And, what else is there, really, to say on this? Besides – YES!!
Focus on health; mind, body and spirit. I’m sure that this is one that is, in some form or another, on everyone’s list. Let’s be honest, January is resolution month at the gym, is it not? BUT, this isn’t about pledging to work out eleventy billion hours a year or to weigh X amount or anything like that. For me, it’s just about being more healthy overall. Making healthier choices. That doesn’t mean I won’t splurge because as long as there is chocolate and sour patch kids in this world — HELLO. But, it just means making overall better choices for myself and for us as a family. This will start with The Whole 30 for Mickey and me in January, so expect some posts along those lines. Health of mind, body and spirit also goes along with being in my Bible more. Being an encourager and being around people who encourage me are also ways to accomplish this goal, starting at home.
Blog more. This blog gets neglected, but it’s a great outlet for me. And, it’s a great connecting place too. So, I really need to try to do better about keeping it updated.
Have more FIRSTS. I don’t have any clue what this will look like, but I enjoy firsts. Like how we took the girls tent camping for the first time this past year. And, how Macey learned to snow ski for the first time. So, I want us to experience some firsts, individually and as a family, this coming year.

So, that’s five goals. And, maybe that’s just a good starting point. But, I think they are five things worth striving for in the new year. If you’re reading this, feel free to hold me accountable because that’s why I posted, after all.

As we put 2015 behind us, I hope we can all look back, no matter the circumstances, and see some good in the year we had. Here’s to 2016 – may we face it with faith, hope and LOVE.

Blessings,
Kelly

Eulogy for Pop

January 31, 2015 By kelly 3 Comments

One week ago today, I stood and gave a eulogy at the funeral service of my beloved Granddaddy, known to us as Pop. Prior to the service, I’ll be honest, I didn’t know if I would be able to get up and speak. But, by God’s grace, I was able to. I first shared the words my mama had written (that I hope to share here soon) and then I spoke my own words. Since I wrote and spoke these words (or very close to what is written here – I used this as a guide), I have thought of SO much more. But, I hope you’ll see in these words the man he was and will always be to me and to the family and friends that love him so.

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Being the granddaughter of Jack Parks is a blessing that would be impossible to fully put into words. What I will say today won’t come even close to all that he was and will always be to me, but I hope that I can do some justice to all he meant to this family.

In recent years, since Macey, our oldest daughter, learned to talk, he’s been known as Pop. But, growing up, I started out calling him Granddaddy Jack and then when my brother Charlie came along he started calling him “Jack” which stuck. Sometimes when we were younger, people would wonder if he was okay with being called “Jack” by his grandkids and the answer is – yes, he was fine with it. I really think he loved it. Odds are, I bet there are those of you in this congregation that knew him as “Uncle Jack” even if you aren’t officially related to us and, believe me, he loved THAT too.

He was a man who lived by faith and loved his family and his friends. Jack was the kind of granddaddy that every kid should have. He was never, or VERY VERY rarely, too tired to play with us. When we were around grade school ages, he worked the 7a-3p shift at Coats and Clark and would get home from work around 4pm. Well, about that time we’d be hanging around after school, homework done (most of the time) and ready to PLAY with him. He would take us swimming in the pond sometimes after work when the weather was nice. Now, I wouldn’t stick a toe in there today, but back then it was the best swimming hole around and if Jack was in there, so was I! He taught me to swim underwater in that pond. And, he would get out the old aluminum boat he had, row us out into the middle and then let us try to sink that boat. Oh, we would try and TRY to sink that boat, but it wouldn’t sink. He knew that, naturally, but he let us have fun trying. Charlie and I had many an adventure with Jack including hunting, fishing, camping, riding the tractor, going to Hardees for breakfast before school, rambling around on ATVs and more. He was the absolute epitome of an involved and loving granddaddy.

Pop would take me deer hunting with him when I was a little girl too. He was an avid hunter and always enjoyed deer season. He took me to the stands with him MANY a time knowing full well, I believe, that with me around he wasn’t likely to get a shot. For one thing, I would always think I had to pack us a snack for the stand. I’m pretty sure that deer can smell peanut butter on saltines a mile away, but Pop let me pack the snacks and haul them up into the stand most times anyway. One of the sweetest memories I have of our deer hunting times was the time we had sat for awhile and saw NOTHING, so he took out his pocket knife and carved a heart with our initials in that tree. He sat up higher in the deer stand on the seat and I sat below him where I could see out too. He didn’t say a word that day, but he got out that pocket knife and quietly carved our initials and grinned that Jack grin at me while he worked. I don’t know where that tree even IS, but I love knowing that he made such a sweet gesture just for me.

Jack taught Charlie and me many things. Like I said, he taught me to swim underwater in that pond. He also taught me to drive a stick shift and let me practice by driving an old truck around and around their yard and land. He even let me drive into town before I had my learners license. Oh, I thought I was big stuff then…that is…until we saw a police car in town. I froze. I choked that truck out several times in a row on the highway, so Pop just laughed and had me sputter into a parking lot so he could take over behind the wheel. Macey knows that I first learned to drive about the time I was 12, so she started asking if she could learn this coming summer when SHE turns 12 too. Well, Pop found out about this and it thrilled him. We stayed with Gran and Pop over Thanksgiving break this past year and one day Pop got in his truck and took off for a little while. When he got back, he let Mama know that he had gone to put gas in the truck so Macey could drive. It wouldn’t do for anything else to happen other than Mama had to get Macey out in that truck (in her lap, of course) and let her drive. Pop sat on the porch and watched – happy as a clam. The only thing he DID NOT like was that they didn’t drive long enough for his liking. He said he had put twenty dollars worth of gas in that truck and they didn’t drive enough. That was our Pop – always giving and wanting to do for his family.

Pop and Gran are the best grandparents in the world and, let me just say, they are also the best GREAT grandparents. Oh, how he loved his great grandbabies. The only thing that ever bothered him was that he just couldn’t get down and play with them like he really wanted to. But seeing them and being around them gave him great joy. And, when he COULD interact and play with them, he did. Our youngest, Mariana, got a doctor kit for Christmas and bought it down when we came to visit. Oh, he got the biggest kick out of her giving him check-ups during our visit. He typically would call her “Little Bit”, but after that he started to call her “Doc.” And, he always loved hearing stories of our children. In the fall before picture day, Mariana made a remark that she had on her “pretty face” that day. Gran told Pop about that and so he started referring to HIS pretty face and he would ask if we had on our pretty faces from day to day. These children brought so much joy to him, just as Charlie and I, and Mama and Lawrence before us, always did.

I got to spend this past Wednesday in the hospital with Pop and that is a day that I just feel so blessed to have had. When he was at home, he LOVED watching The Western Channel. Those cowboys, indians and outlaws were his companions. They didn’t have that channel at the hospital, to his dismay. Well, on Wednesday morning I cued up John Wayne’s movie “Hondo” on my iPad and he got to watch that before PT came to rake him over the coals – I mean, work with him. Netflix on the iPad wasn’t the Western channel, but he liked it. After PT, he was worn out, so he napped in the chair. I was hungry, so I got out a packet of peanut M&Ms and quietly tried to open them. Well, he heard me. He asked me what I was eating and when I said M&Ms, well…he had to have some. And, of course, I gave them to him. Even though he had not eaten anything off his lunch tray but ice cream. The man loved his sweets, what can I say?! He and I hung out that day and just took it easy as we could, except when PT was working with him. We watched Bonanza and The Rifleman. We didn’t do a whole lot of talking, but were just comfortable and content just being together….just him and me. And, I cannot even say how thankful I am to have had that time.

On Wednesday, Pop asked me if I thought he’d go home tomorrow, meaning Thursday. I was honest with him and told him no, that I thought he’d be in the hospital for awhile longer, but that if we worked hard on breathing exercises and PT, he would get to go home soon. He told me okay. Well, now that I think about it, Pop did go home on Thursday. Only, he didn’t go home to his favorite country place, he went to his eternal home in heaven. As much as we’re all going to miss him, I know we also celebrate that he’s in heaven and he’s whole again. I can just imagine him being reunited with his daddy who he absolutely ADORED and being together again with his “Buddy” Lawrence who he also completely adored. And, of course, I just imagine the joy he felt when he saw Jesus face to face. I have heard it said that those who have gone on to glory really wouldn’t trade places with those of us here, and I take comfort in that. He’s really HOME. I don’t know if there’s a greeting committee when we get to heaven, but, if there is, I hope Pop is at the head of mine when I get there so that I know I’m in the right place.

As I close, I reflect on a saying that gives me great comfort: “Thank you, Lord, for the pain we feel. It is the price we pay for having loved someone so much. It is worth it.” I am so grateful that I was loved so much by such an amazing granddaddy and that I got to love him so much in return. The pain of losing him sometimes washes over me like a tidal wave, but for having gotten to be his and have him be mine makes it worth it. For forty and a half years, I was his “Boo” and he was my “Jack” and that will bless me for the rest of my days until I see that precious man again one day, as I know I will.

***************

We miss you so much, Pop, and will always love you. But we know that heaven is amazing and we trust we’ll see you there one sweet day.

Love always,
Boo

One of my favorite photos I took of Pop recently. This was in September 2014 at one of Macey’s soccer matches, the day before both of our girls were baptized.

One Week Ago…

January 28, 2015 By kelly 1 Comment

One week ago today, I was on “day shift” with my Pop as he was recuperating in the hospital following his hip breaking and requiring surgery. What I didn’t know then was that it was his last full day on this earth. What I did know was that we had a good day just being together.

Let me back up some. On Sunday, January 18, I was at church and received word from my mom that Pop’s hip had broken and that he, Gran and Mama were in the ER. I decided then to head down to be with them, about 200 miles away. The girls were in Sunday School, so we let those in charge at church know that Mickey was running me home and would be back. We rushed me home, I packed and got on the road. When I got there, he was in the ER still, but in pretty good spirits, all things considered. He finally got moved to a room and we were told surgery would most likely be the next day. He had surgery on Monday, considered high risk, and even though his BP dipped and he had to spend time in PACU afterward, he came through it. When he woke up he told us the worst was behind him which I thought was pretty darn amazing considering all things. But, really, that wasn’t a surprise because he was always so strong. Mama, Gran and I set up a rotating schedule so that we would have one of us with him, at least, at all times, at the hospital while the others rested and took care of things at the house. I had originally planned to go home on Wednesday, but it worked out that I was with him at the hospital that day and I am so thankful that I had that time.

We started our day with some John Wayne on Netflix because he was missing his favorite station, The Westerns Channel, at home. As we were watching “Hondo” on the iPad, PT came in to work with him for the first time. That was a challenge for him, but he did not complain. It wore him out though. So, once he got from the bed to the recliner in the room, he rested a good while. I decided to snack on a pack of peanut M&Ms I had in the room. Well, he heard me open the pack and said, as only he could, “Whatcha eatin’, Boo?” So, I told him…M&Ms and he wanted me to bring him some. And, I did. I wasn’t able to coax him into eating much of his lunch besides ice cream, prior to that, but I was nonetheless happy to share my M&Ms with him. He and I always shared an affinity for “junk” food anyway. Eventually, PT came back and he moved back to bed which was painful and exhausting, but, as usual, he did not complain. He just did it. By this time I was able to find “Bonanza”, followed by “The Rifleman”, on tv, so that was a good thing for him. I was also able to wash his hair using a special microwaveable shower cap they have in hospitals and I put lotion on his hands and face (which he loved), so we had some “spa time” also. I told him I had to get him all cleaned up for his woman since Gran was coming in later to spend the night. We didn’t talk all that much, really, but we had a really good day. He told me I don’t know how many times that he didn’t know what he/they would do without me and I told him he wouldn’t have to find out because I was there. I held his hand and kissed his head, told him he was my “baby” and I wanted to take good care of him. The last time we had to move him to change him (remember: his hip was broken and repaired, he was immobile), the nurse tech and I noticed he had a more difficult time with it. Even though Gran was there by that time, I just couldn’t leave until he was breathing more steadily. Eventually, he was and I still didn’t feel super keen about leaving, but I knew I needed rest as did he and Gran. And I knew he was in good care. I left with a full heart just grateful for the time we had and that he had a pretty good day, all things considered.

Well, around 12:30am I got a call from Gran that I needed to get Mama and come to the hospital – Pop wasn’t breathing. I raced out of bed, threw on clothes, went to Mama’s to get her and we went to the hospital. We held out hope that he had been revived, but…he hadn’t. He just wasn’t able to keep breathing. He earned his heavenly homecoming in the very early morning hours of Thursday, January 22, 2015 – nine months to the day after Lawrence passed away. Needless to say, we were all in a state of shock as none of us had any inclination that he would go on then. But, really, I’m glad we didn’t know for a variety of reasons. And, we all trust God’s plan and provision. Even in our personal sorrow and grief, we have to remain thankful that he did not suffer and that he is whole again in the presence of God. Grief is for those of us left here, not for those who have gone on.

One week ago I had a day with my Granddaddy that blessed me more than I will EVER be able to put into words. To feel his hand in mine, to help take care of the man who cared for me all my life, to just be there and be with him — well, that’s something I will never forget and always be thankful for in my life.

Pop’s sudden passing has left me with a sadness in my heart because I just flat out miss him. I miss calling the house and hearing him say “Hey, Boo” in the background. He didn’t really want to talk on the phone, but he wanted to know all about our days and adventures. He wanted to hear about what the girls were up to. He loved us. That man LOVED his family, so much. And we love him. That’s why it’s so hard that he’s not with us anymore.

I know how blessed I am that I had him for forty and a half years of my life, trust me. But, I also now that there won’t ever be a day of my life when I won’t wish he was still with me. That’s selfish, I know, and I honestly don’t wish him back from the glory of heaven, but I just can’t help missing him here. If that makes any sense at all. See, he wasn’t “just” a Granddaddy. He was so much more. He was always so involved and present in our lives. He as a stronghold in our family. He leaves behind a hole that no one could fill, really. It’ll take time to learn to live with that “new normal” and we can only do that by God’s grace and comfort.

In this last week and a half, we’ve had a great outpouring of love, support and prayer from family and friends. I can’t even say how much that has meant because the words, phone calls, cards, meals, texts, etc. have really gone above and beyond to give us comfort and peace. THANK YOU to those who have reached out and shown us your love. We’ve needed it and continue to need it as we go forward without our beloved Pop. If you ask me how I’m doing, I’m most likely to say “okay” because, well, that’s about the state of it. I’m just okay. Some days, some hours even, are better than others. But, I’m doing okay. God’s sustaining grace is carrying me. I trust a day is coming when the grief won’t feel so enveloping, but for now I’m just working through it all and try to let daily life keep me busy and distracted.

I do want to say a few things as advice, for those who need it:

If you have grandparents or older parents, take time with them. Call, visit, etc. You’ll be so glad you did.
Always ALWAYS tell your loved ones that you love them, even if you have to say it first.
When someone passes away, even if you think you don’t know what to say to the family, say something. Even the “simplest” of messages have meant a lot to us. Just to know that you’re thought about and cared for helps.
This goes with the above, but don’t wait until it’s too late. Visit, say what you need to say and be present with your loved ones. The value in that is indescribable.

Again, THANK YOU, for the outpouring of support we’ve received as a family. Your continued prayers and love are much appreciated.

I’m closing with the slide show of photos Mickey and I made for Pop’s funeral. Wasn’t he always so handsome? He was a faithful, devoted and loving family man and we will miss him until we see him again one day.

We love you always, Pop…

Boo & Family

Good Enough for Target…

October 27, 2014 By kelly 3 Comments

Is it just me, or do you ever have those mornings where you just can’t find a darn thing to wear that you like and feel good in, even though you have a closet full of clothes? Just me? Nah, I didn’t think so. We’ve all been there, right? Especially us ladies because, let’s be honest, this is a girl talk here. Whether we are at “fighting weight” or if we have some excess baggage, there are just days when the we have that busted-can-of-biscuits feeling when getting dressed. What’s with that, seriously?! This was my morning…

Get up, get breakfast ready and on the table thanks to the help of my awesome husband. (Seriously, we have a morning routine that rocks!!)
Pack snack for our third grader, get her ready and out the door she goes with Daddy so he can take her to school on his way to work.
Toss a load of the dog’s blankets in the washer because, YUCK, they reek!
While the washer is going, make middle schooler’s lunch and check emails, etc.
Throw the dog’s linens into the dryer and rush up to take a shower.
Here’s where the crazy hits. Today is going to be unseasonably warm, so I wanted to dress appropriately. Grab a pair of cropped jeans and…oh no…it’s a busted-can-of-biscuits day. Awww man!! So, I think maybe I’ll find a long top and make it work. Only, shoot!, all the long tops I have really look better with open toed shoes and since I’ve had zero time to do my toes OR have them done, that’s not an option. Plan B, a cute tee and scarf with the cropped jeans. Where’s a black tee? Every mom has a black tee she can go to, right?! Evidently not a short-sleeved one for this mom. Throw on a cute crochet top, NOT HAPPENING. Find an orange-ish tee and decide it’s okay. It’s good enough for Target after carpool and that’s all I’m really after at this point in time. Only, crud, it’s apparently lost its shape after a few washes. UGH. Ditch the cute cropped jeans and go to my favorite pair of ripped jeans that I cuff at the bottom. Again I say…good enough for Target.
Not feeling like a fashionista, I head off to the carpool and then to Target. While in Target, my ever faithful Google Calendar app texts me and reminds me that I’m working the front desk for my volunteer shift today at middle school. EEP! I forgot because it’s a new day for me. Throw it into high gear and Target and dash home because, seriously, the ripped jeans and crazy tee that were Target worthy are NOT middle school front desk worthy. Not even.
Get home and grab an old faithful, but still CUTE and well structured, black layered t-shirt dress, iron that right quick, throw on a scarf and some boots. Ahhhh…now, I feel like ME. And, that’s good enough too.

So, does that resound to anyone? Do you just get it SO wrong some mornings despite your best efforts? And, you just think, after a point, whatever you have on just has to be good enough for the carpool…or Target…or the grocery store…you get the drift. (No offense to Walmart, but I’d say most of us wake up and roll out of bed Walmart worthy. Can I get a witness? I mean, no one ever made a website about the People of Target, so clearly we are doing okay there.) Those days can just make you feel like a SCHLUMP, can’t they? I know because I just went through it myself. You just find yourself feeling ick and you truly want to go to the store where you are least likely to see anyone you KNOW and just want to get in and out of there so you can skitter on back home. I get it and I lived it today. But, let’s be real here, we all do it. So, go to your normal store. If you see someone you know, don’t be mortified because we’ve all been there. Even the most put together of us has felt that way at some time or another, I’m sure. Being on point all the time is just too much. Every so often, we just need to give ourselves a schlump day and let it be. I tried not to let mine define my morning. In fact, I’m probably going to put those holey jeans back on because they are comfy and I am all about some comfort today. Sure, I like the dress and boots, but comfort is the name of the game for the rest of this day.

You know what’s ironic about my schlump morning? Thirteen years ago, on this very date, I was a bride. All dressed up and done up to the nines. All aglow with wedding and marriage happiness. Today, I’m a happy, blessed and BUSY wife and mom. Today I’m not decked out and I’m not in any finery, for sure, but I’m sure happy where I am. Oh yea, I felt like a sausage this morning for a little bit and I truthfully didn’t want to see a soul I knew at Target, just keeping it real, but it’s better now. When I look at my life on the whole, I see happiness and that’s what matters most. And now, here’s to a HAPPY 13th ANNIVERSARY to my sweetheart and to putting the busted-can-of-biscuits morning behind me to focus on a great day!

Kelly

PS: A wedding photo from October 27, 2001. I sure do love this man of mine!