Mommy to MOM...

I was just reading thru some blogs... and I honestly cannot remember whose blog it was (I think my age kicked in) and their child now calls Mommy... Mom.

I remember when that happened to me... with both boys!! At first I was Mama... and loved all of those moments - but they were young and couldn't really comprehend a whole lot! Then Mommy - I felt so needed and such an IMPORTANT part of their lives! They KNEW who I was and what I meant to them! AND to be honest I thought I would be MOMMY up til they were in 5th or MAYBE even 6th grade!! BUT NO... for Rich, I think it was Kindergarten when all of a sudden he called me Mom... just MOM... OH MY! I waited a few days just to see if it was a fluke thing... NO it wasn't!! I felt so NOT NEEDED!! =( With Tim, it was first grade... when he first called me Mom... I just stood there!! Thinking isn't this TOOOOO early??? WOW! I felt like Mommy to Mom was just a blink... the years go by to fast!

For me now... I HOPE that Bup is forever! If it isn't... it is ok... for NOW... it is WONDERFUL and I am enjoing every MOMENT!

Going thru withdrawls...

I am really appreciating my mac computer! I still don't have it back yet... but at least it works MORE than it doesn't work! HAHA!! I really am having a difficult time with out a reliable computer - I don't get emails on time and I can't feed all my little addictions! Like blog stalking, Myspace, Facebook, Flickr, and my photography boards... AND to be quite honest now... HOW did I ever get anything done??? I don't know how YOU all do it?? With all the blogging and Facebook OH! and Loopt... I just let my life pile up here on my desk! AND I so want to post a photo - but once again technology does not let me! ALL of my life is wrapped up in my other computer! Besides by the time I could figure out how to get it on this old one... it would kick me off the server! It has been doing that ALL WEEK LONG!! Anyway I am hoping my computer comes home soon =) I miss it!!

WHEW!

My real computer is in the "shop" and NOT supposed to be done for 6 days - at least!!! I KNEW I couldn't go that long with out the internet... so I dug up my OLD laptop - and it works!! HAHA!! There is NO virus protection anymore so I am HOPING that I survive the week!! BUT, I can post here and get email!! WOOHOO!! AND Facebook! No photo editing tho... I think that I will be going thru withdrawl NOT able to use my Photoshop... AND the next version of Photoshop is out TOMORROW!!! At least I can go read about it... =)

Nothing profound today... just THANKFUL I do have OLD stuff that works! =)

Technology...

I have to take in my computer to the MAC store tomorrow...  the DVD/CD quit working =(  and I think I am in mourning...  I think that they will have to TAKE it from my hands so that they can replace it!  That means..........     NO computer until it is fixed!!!  NO COMPUTER for me is like cutting my hands off!!  YIKES!  I do have my iphone - so I hope that I can at least get my internet fix each day!  

The time with my DAD was AMAZING!  He is feeling GREAT and looks GREAT!!  He is NOT doing the Bermuda Triangle thing for now  =)  I am PRAISING GOD for that!!  He said it is Hurricane season....  =)  So who knows... he may go in January!  Here is me with him... where he is living right now!!

Home Alone...

Chuck is up at a camp speaking for a couple of days...  and I get to be Home Alone =)  I do like it usually... but, I have so much to get done and I am just getting LESS done because I think I have ALL day to finish it...  well the day is gone... and I got NOTHING DONE!!!  HAHAA!!  I get too distracted!!!  This computer is one of my MANY distractions!! SO... I am going to get a few things done tonight.... so that I can PLAY again tomorrow!!  I will update on my trip with my Dad too... I have to download the pix! =)

I LOVE road trips!!

Today... we leave for Big Sur - where it is about 65 degrees!!!  WOOOHOOOO!!   But, Chuck and I get to actually be together for HOURS!!  I get him all to myself =) with NO distractions!!  I LOVE IT!!  We come home late tomorrow night!!  PRAY for us as we get to share with my Dad!!

Just thinking...

Tomorrow Chuck and I are going up to visit my Dad. I am really excited to go - and yet a little sad. I think that this may be the last time I get to actually see him!  

He has lung cancer and is not doing any chemotherapy... and the last I heard - he only had a few months left to live. That was back in April!! =)  AND he is still here and I think, feeling pretty good!  

He is taking off on a road trip at the end of this month... driving his trailer across the country and into Florida then going to get to the Bermuda Triangle somehow...  I am really proud of him for wanting to do all the things he has always wanted to do!!  AND yet at the same time... I think that he just doesn't want us to watch him go thru the horrible illness that he has!  

We have tried to share Jesus with him... he has NO desire to even WANT to consider that there is a God...  =(    That breaks my heart too...  I HOPE I get to share while I am with him... but, ONLY GOD can change him =)   I know that!!  

Sometimes... don't you wish GOD would allow us to MAKE people choose HIM???  That does take away our choices... and I am so GLAD I get to have the choices...  but people that I LOVE don't choose the same thing!  BUMMER!

The difference between being a Mom and being a Grammie Bup

First of all... I don't know which one to call me =)  so I will be Grammie Bup!!  

I think that being a Grammie is WAY more fun than being a Mommy =)  I LOVED being a Mommy - but to be honest... I really LOVE being a Grammie!!  (hint hint Tim and Jill)

A few reasons that being Grammie is way more FUN...

I get to say YES more than I say NO!!  =)  I don't have to live with them!!

My house is clean more than it is messy =)  I don't mind messy... Chuck does!!!

Now... I really don't mind changing diapers!!  Even the poopy ones!!

I can sit on the floor and play ALL DAY LONG - I know that the time goes by too fast!!

When they call for me... I AM THERE!!!  I LOVE IT!!!

I love that the kids get to name me whatever they want...  and it is so SPECIAL to me!!

I get to sleep thru the night =)  and just dream about them!!

One of the main topics of Chuck's and my conversations is them... and HOW cute and HOW smart they are!!! =)

When we are with them... we don't feel stuck or trapped... we are FREE and we LOVE to do what they want!!

I realize that I have MORE patience with Grand Kids than I did with my own kids!! (SORRY Rich and Tim)

One of my FAVORITE things is I get to BUY things for them... because NOW we can afford it!! =) 

Long Distance is NOT as fun... but, to hear their voices on the phone... saying my NAME... WOW!  Tears flow down...  =)

Life is just better... I wake up looking so forward to just seeing them... and talking to them... and just watching them!  

MOM's!!  YOU have all of this to look forward to!!  BUT, enjoy what you have now - time goes by way too fast!!!  I do remember being a Mom of a Pre Schooler... and wondering if it will EVER BE OVER!!!!  HAHA!!  It is... NOW I get to really LOVE on my Pre Schoolers =)  I do wish I felt this same way back then...  but I think that is the JOY of being a Grammie - way MORE FUN!

Being Grammie Pamee = "Bup"

I LOVE when my grandbbabies call... they say "I'm coming to Grammie Pamee's house on a plane to C A L I F O R N I A"  =)  OH how I LOVE hearing that!!  They are 26 months old now... and talking sooooo much!  I can't tell their voices apart right now - other than  I THINK that Myra talks more than Caroline =)

All this to say... I LOVE MY NAME!!   We thought I would just be "Grammie" - but when they were all out here in June...  I don't know who said it... but it caught on - "Grammie Pamee is a good good girl,  doo da,  doo da"  =)   Can't you just hear them singing it??  HAHA!!

THEN... in the last couple of weeks... NOAH has named me...  I did call myself Grammie Pamee... but what came out was "Bup" -  AND WOW!!  I LOVE MY NAME!!  HAHA!!  I hope that I am ALWAYS "Bup" to him and to Maia!!   Yesterday... he was behind the chair and calls out - "Bup??"  It made my heart leap!  

When the kids name you...  it is a TREASURE!!!  I LOVE that name calling!! =)

I am really liking the mornings =)

I have never really been a morning person...  but, the last few weeks I have gotten up a little earlier just to get in some quiet time... I AM LOVING it!!   I just HAVE to go to sleep a little earlier tho.... I don't have that part down yet!  So I am a bit more tired today than yesterday =)  BUT, who knows... maybe in my old age I will switch to mornings!!  

I can't think of anything to say...

I am not a very wordy person... and I so want to post here daily... I just can't think of what to say right now =)  Other than it is TUESDAY night already!!  Honestly...  I kept thinking today was Monday!!  

We had our FIRST Long Distance Grandparents group tonight... it was so FUN!!  Getting GREAT ideas of how to connect with our grand kids clear across the COUNTRY!!

Another Sunday... =)

YIPPEE!!  I LOVE the quiet time in the morning... I only do this on Sundays tho... maybe I need to rethink that =)  This is a very beautiful time of day!  

Lord, THANK YOU for today!!  AND may I be a BLESSING to everyone I come in contact with =)

Why do the days go by so fast?

I really do feel like there are not enough hours in a day... or even a night =)  I have been EXTRA tired this week - and wishing for a few more hours of night =)  Then... I got to talk to the grand babies - Caroline and Myra - today!!  They are talking so well...  and so excited...  and I don't get to see them =(  It was FUN talking to them!  But it brought the point -  of time going by so fast - to a REALITY! 

Even as a Christian...   life is fleeting...  I know that my Dad's time left is short - and he is going to be taking a road trip across the country...  I think so he can go out of this world doing what he loves!!  I just PRAY he comes to know Jesus during his personal journey...  

I guess I am reevaluating my own days...  to make the most of my time...    

AND right now... I am trying to post Eph. 5: 15 -   it does NOT work... so I am not going to waste anymore TIME trying to figure out!!! =)    

Working...

I really do LOVE my job - but at times I really don't think of it as work!  I LOVE taking photos of everything and everyone!  BUT, I don't have the free time to do some of the other things I used to do... like READ =)  I have a stack of books that I WANT to read... but, I am "working" and too tired at the end of the day to even think!!  HAHA!!  

I am so inspired by Tiffany... and ALL the books she has read in a short amount of time - I MUST carve out a few hours a day to actually read!  I do KNOW that I would LOVE it! I just need to cut back on my "working" - HAHA!!

MOSQUITOS are EVERYWHERE!!

YIKES!   We are being attacked!!  =)   Everywhere we turn and in every room in the house we have a bazillion mosquitos!!  WHERE did they come from????????  I HOPE they go away soon!!  I am PRAYING that the babies are not eaten alive!!

YEAH for HOLIDAY'S!!

YIPPEE!!  Chuck is HOME all day!  I am LOVING IT!!  

Tim and Jill got home from Kenya last night =)  I sure did miss them!!  It blesses my heart to hear how GOD is using them - and how they are LOVING it!!

Here is a fun shot of me with Noah - that Ashley took last night when we went up to the tractor!!  Ok... I cannot get the picture to go below this =(    I did it before... I guess I am really NOT that computer literate!!  I just don't get it!!