This...That...and What's on my Mind

It's been over a year since I have blogged here and it's not that I have forgotten, just tons of things going on and this seemed to take a back burner.  I have been trying (with just a tad bit of success) to make a real go of my food blog, Blogghetti, and also keeping up with my classes. At my age, that seems to be harder than I thought it would.  Age does not always bring wisdom, sometimes you lose it.  Maybe, I can replace some of what I lost with new wisdom.  Haha!

Anyway, let's start with the classes.  I am in the process of changing my major from Business Admin to Public Service. Why? Because (again, at my age), I want to be able to enjoy what I am learning and doing as a career. Not just have a degree because it's what's expected and presumed to be on your resume.  Public Service is a much better fit for me. I love helping people and when I worked at the technical college, that's what I did and enjoyed every minute of helping others.  Sad that I quit that job after almost 10 years because I was not moving forward no matter how hard I tried and management seemed to want me to step back even though I was doing great there. Going back to college was a major factor of that decision to quit and only every now and then I regret quitting but only because of my addiction for Hobby Lobby, which requires money!

The food blog is an adventure, a hobby, and hopefully I can make it popular - more than what it is, which is not so much. I am not giving up though.  I am learning more every day about blogging, photography, and promoting blogs.  It's not as easy as some make it seem.  New recipes are fun to try and even if they turn out not great, it's a learning experience. Bless my family's hearts and stomachs for being guinea pigs! If you are so inclined (just a bit of begging here), please check the blog out and follow it as well as the Facebook page for it. I'd appreciate it tons!

Quitting my job put quite a few things into perspective for me along the lines of friends and coworkers.  You quit a job and those that you thought were your friends (coworkers) are never to be heard from again, not all but some.  I've always tried to be the best friend I could be to all those I considered friends because that's how I would like to be treated.  This worked well for me for many years, or did it really? Maybe treating others how you want to be treated is just a crock, it sure is exhausting at times with some "friends" and very easy with others.  The "others" are the ones who are worth it and remain true, no matter what.  Being the wife of a retired military man, I've moved a few times, made great friends only to have them or me move.  I love the fact that I have remained great friends with many of them. Over the last few years though, I've come to realize how hard it can be to be friends with some that only seem to want to be "friends" when it's convenient for them.  Why am I the friend that needs to call, or makes plans with you all the time? Why can't you be the one to do that?  I feel like I am being needy or desperate with some friends when I do this, or like you really don't want to be friends.  I shouldn't feel like that...ever...with friends.    I guess I just want those friends to treat me as I do them after all...as a friend and maybe even do the calling and planning sometimes.  Life, is busy...I know that and I have a busy schedule with full time classes and my family but I always make time for my friends.  If you care about people in your life, you make time for them.  It may seem petty that I am complaining about this and you're probably right but it's my blog and I can write whatever I want. Ha! I am blessed with a great family and some great friends, a great life as well. I know this but it doesn't take away the emotions I have about this...

Conversations with oldest daughter

Oldest Daughter and I had a text convo today and I wanted to share it:

Oldest Daughter: I am sitting in my last college class ever.

Me: yay!!!

Me: Took a hard test today..got an 85 on it...brought my 99 avg down.

Oldest Daughter: Yeah that happens haha but it's still a good grade.

Me: Yea but it bums me out some. Oh and I get to register for classes when the "seniors" do and not the junior that I am - Sunday at midnight. hahaha

Oldest Daughter: I do not miss registration, ours was at 3am. You just have to do better at the next test to bring up average but an A is an A no matter if it's 100 or 90. And C's get degrees.

Me: thanks for the pep talk. Nice to know that you were listening all those times I told you the same thing, minus the C's get degrees. lol.

They do listen to us LOL. Made me smile and proud.

Teenage Battles

I watched an episode of Dr. Phil yesterday...rare that I do but I was folding laundry and put the TV on. He had this 17 yr. old on there from hell. She was horrible to EVERYONE, language, drugs, sex, threatening parents and others, BIG anger problem, OMG she made me angry and made me cry! Her parents were doing the best they could I suppose after YEARS of just GIVING IN to her to save fits, issues, problems, etc. Father is a cop and he more than anyone else should know what happens to teens who lead this kind of life and he was like "she is going to go missing one day and never come back" Daughter said and I quote "maybe that's what it will take for me to learn my lesson" OMG...I was like, yea last lesson you will learn! She turns 18 in 8 weeks so they can't legally kick her out till then. Dr. Phil wants to send her to some boot camp place and she was like NO not going to go. She did admit she has an anger problem and doesn't like that she can't control it. Phil told parents he will get a transporter to send her there as she was still underage and they parents had the say. They are sending here there...I sure hope it works. 

I had issues with my oldest from ages 10-15....it was horrible. She wanted out of the house – my heart broke at that thought but a few times I wanted her to go too - yet neither of us did anything about that. We argued, yelled and oh it was bad. She hated me, I didn't like her much. I never gave up on her. Anyway, we got through it and now we are close. When I watched this, I immediately with tears in my eyes sent a text to my girls (both were in class or I would have called) that said how much I loved them and how proud of them I was. 

Tell your kids often that you love them and how much they mean to you...they need to hear it even if they never say it to you.

Anniversary of a Tumor

Last evening I asked my husband what he wanted to do for his birthday this Friday and he just shook his head and said I don't know.  I got to thinking about his upcoming birthday and realized that next month will be one year since he had a seizure and brain surgery to remove a non-cancerous tumor.  How lucky we are that he is here to celebrate another birthday.  How lucky am I to have him here to complain to and about at times.  I still think about that day when he he had his seizure and how it could have been so much worse.  He had it at home, on the couch and not in a car driving or on his bike, which he JUST finished riding that day.

God was watching over him for sure and all through the ordeal.  I re-learned how powerful prayer is that month as well.  Friends were putting him on prayer lists at their churches, my facebook friends sent out prayer chains online and of course we had the support of family.  During that same time, my grandmother passed away as well so it was an extra stressful time as well. I wasn't able to help my mom with the funeral and her estate as my husband was having brain surgery.

I have been with my husband for over 31 years...married for 26 of them.  We have been together since we were 14...and still going strong.  I remember when he was having the seizure, I yelled to him that he wasn't allowed to leave me as we weren't done being together yet...and we aren't.

Same Sex Marriages

Yep, time for another hot topic.  Probably thought I forgot about some of them.  Ha!  I've been thinking on this one awhile now.  I hear so many comments from people I know and don't know, their opinions and where they stand.  I read comments on blogs and FB of the same.  I refrain from commenting MOST of the time, simply because, as you are aware, I hate confrontation - most of  the time.  I am a peaceful person by nature. I wear my emotions on my sleeve for all to see and when I am adamant about something you will see it too.

NY passed the same sex marriages into law Friday night and I am thrilled for all those that are seeking this with their partners.  I know what the Bible tells us about this topic and I know there are some of you who will take me on about it too.  This is what I believe -

Ultimately, we all report to God and only He will pass down judgement to us for any sins he says we have committed.  No matter the sin, God is the final judge for all of us.

I feel you love who you love, you know when you have met "the one" and I don't think we have any right to deny that relationship.  If it works for you and you are happy, then that is what matters.  You only get one life and you should be  happy.  People should not condemn others for who they love.  Think about it, if you are against same sex relationships and condemn that person, look down on that person or treat them badly or different, how does that make you a good Christian?  How does that differ from a man-woman relationship that you don't approve of?

I also feel same sex relationships should be allowed to adopt children.  We let man-woman relationships adopt and look how some of those situations turn out.  Not saying that it could happen that way to some same sex ones but they should be given a chance to love and raise children as well.  It would be harder I am sure, but isn't raising a child of a different culture just as hard?  Heck, raising my own children proved to be  a challenge at times!

Same sex relationships should have the same benefits as a man-woman one - meaning being in on major decisions such as medical and insurance.

I know several couples who are gay and lesbian and call them friends.  Shoot, I think some of them have better relationships than a lot of man-woman do.

I am sure I am not totally up on all the pros and cons of this subject and I am fine with that...I know what I feel and what I think.