If I could....

If I could


I'd make it all right

I'd wave my mommy wand

I'd twist some arms

I'd kick some ass

I'd make it all right

I'd wrap him up

in nothin' but

Christmas print silk boxers

and put him under your tree

Christmas morn

If I could

‘cause I'd do almost anything

to make it right for my little girl



If I could,

If I could…



If I could

I'd make it all right

I'd wave my mommy wand

I'd twist some arms

I'd kick some ass

I'd make it all right

I’d Dress him in a Tux

And you in a

beautiful white

princess gown

I’d get the Priest

I’d make him promise

Unto death

to love you,

to be your

faithful friend

foever

I’d make the Love Story come out right

If I could

‘cause I'd do almost anything

to make it right for my little girl





If I could,

If I could



‘cause I'd do almost anything

to make it right for my little girl

If I could.



11/13/10 for my Dani girl

Copyright 2010 by Lori L. Richmond

Inspired by Taylor Swift’s “Back to December” lyrics’

25 years...

...ago I was all of  20 and putting the finishing touches on my wedding plans.  I was counting down the days until I was Mrs.Richmond! Back then I was no bigger than my 13 year old daughter is now! Only I wasn't blessed with the long legs and height she is! She recently tried my wedding dress on and it fit her almost to a T! Never mind this child wearing it for her wedding someday! Her littlest sister is probably going to be the one who it will fit but with my luck God will probably decide He wants her for His bride and no one will wear my wedding gown! Ah well a grandaughter perhaps....

Since my husband and I were so young, the preist didn't want to marry us, so I found out later. It was my mother-n-law who convinced him. She told him something like,"Of all my kids, these two have dreams and plans. They will make it. Marry them!"  I promised that preist that I'd make him eat cake! 25th wedding anniversary cake!  My parents had divorced when I was 16 and in my book, the word divorce was fouler than any a drucken sailor could come up with! Add to that fact the doubt that we could make it... I was determined! Come hell or high water I would make the doubter eat cake!

Back in the 80's, folks threw huge parties for major events like weddings and 25th anniversaries and everyone and thier brother was invited! 25ths were big shindigs! With fancy clothes,balloons and streamers,huge buffets of homemade food, a large cake,plenty of beer and lots of dancing. It was with this in mind that I imagined the backdrop for making the dear priest eat cake!

It is 25 years later and things aren't as I had dreamed as a young bride. Oh I'll be making that priest cake all right! You bet your bippy I will! If I have to mail it to him! But alas...Ma is gone and the celebration isn't going to be what I had imagined it to be... In fact I haven't a clue what it will be! No one seems to want to inform me and they don't seem to be in any hurry to get the invititaions out.. But there is one thing I do know! That preist WILL eat cake if I have to make it myself and mail it to him!

Opening Day

November 15th... For many this day means nothing, but to hunters in Michigan that date is the most important one of the year! It's the first day of deer season! When I was growing up, the excitement that preceded opening morning was rivaled only by Christmas! The hunting gear was gathered up and aired or washed if need be, as well as blankets and bedding and the house got a good cleaning. There were guns to clean and site in, blinds to build and food to be prepared! LOTS of food! Yummy food! Grandma baked , Mom cooked and the men folk brought in goodies only seen at hunting season. Things like beef jerky, pistachios and DONUTS! The fire was lit in the fireplace, the pot of chili stood ever ready, the beer in the fridge was good and cold and the cards sat waiting for the games of euchre, pedro and cribbage that would take place the night before and between hunts that day. Throughout the day and night on the 14th the hunters, our friends and family, would arrive. Some would come in after the lights were out and find a spot on the floor. If you happen to be the first one up in the morning, you never knew who you might trip over!

I awoke to the smell of coffee brewing and bacon frying, and voices I didn't always recognize right away talking softly. It didn't take long for the house to be a-buzz with people vying for the bathroom and a place to dress, telling stories from the last hunt and ribbing one another about who was the best shot. It all seemed horribly early to me, but the rule was, if you wanted to go out with Dad you had to get yourself up, dressed and to the table by 5am! Of course the prospect of a donut was a great incentive!

Once out in the blind the challenge was to keep warm and quiet and stay still. No easy task for a busy chatterbox like me. But I knew better than to fidget or whisper too much. Doing so would result in being left home with grandma next trip out! And of course there were the snacks and candy Dad would dole out. Quiet chatterboxes always got more than noisy ones! Sometimes we were lucky and got our buck shortly after first light. Other times we had to wait what seemed like forever. And other times after sitting there until I was so cold I chattered like squirrel, we went back to Grandma's empty handed. But either way, we always went back to Grandma and Grandpa's for coffee and hot coco and to recount our morning hunt.

The day finally came when I was old enough to take hunter safety class. Something I was thrilled about but immensely bored with! Thanks to my Dad, I already knew everything! I had grown up around guns. I knew they were to be respected and ALWAYS treated as if they were loaded. I knew better than to walk in front of a gun, unless I wanted a new rear end or my head blown off! I knew when and where to shoot and not to. I remember thinking as I sat there, "I could help teach this class!" I begged my Dad to get the instructor, whom he knew, to just let me take the test and skip the classes but I had to sit through them just like I had to sit quietly in the blind. I passed my test, though I seem to remember Dad thinking that for a girl who knew it all, I should have aced the test.

 I shot my first deer at 16. I was hunting with Dad but in my own spot. I had been waiting since before dawn for my buck. I heard him coming behind me, the leaves crunching with every step. I was in a perfect spot and he was going to walk right past me. It would of been an easy shot with my 44 Mag. Until the dog barked on the neighboring farm that is! The buck bolted past me and I wasn’t fast enough to get a shot off. The last I saw of that buck was his arse bounding across the field! Needless to say, this redhead was one irate lass who had a few choice things to say about that dog! I vowed that the next deer I saw was going down and I didn’t care if it was a buck or not! A little while later a group of deer came across the field and I took my shot. I dropped a doe with one shot at a good distance. I signaled Dad that I had a deer with three rapid shots into the ground. We loaded her up and took her to Grandma’s. Everyone was proud of me but teased me ‘cause it was so small compared to the others. Grandma told them, “Quit picking on the girl and come into the house for coffee and cookies.” Grandpa had died a few weeks before and as I stood there looking at my deer, I was sad that he wasn’t here to see it. Just as a tear ran down my cheek I heard him say, “That’s my little redheaded Granddaughter!” It was his voice and it was as if he were standing there with me! In that moment I knew he could see my deer and was proud of me.

The last time I went hunting was several years ago. I was cross fired on by some city slickers! (City slickers is what we country folk call those who live in the city and only venture into the woods one day a year…opening day!) Between that incident and the babies I was either carrying or nursing my hunting days have long since passed.

But the tradition of opening morning continues in my household, though in a different fashion than I grew up with.
 
More next time....

Notes to me

Bloom where you are planted.
Be thankful and flourish in your surroundings.Make the most of your circumstances and make do with what you have. You'll be surprised how little you really need once you make up your mind to make the best of it.

Do what works for YOUR family.
Find a rhythm and routine that works for you and your family. Consistancy is what really matters not the particular time something gets done.

Make your place of residence YOUR home.
Paint, put down rugs, buy a special piece of furniture YOU LOVE, surround yourself with things that have meaning to you and that you love... photos, handmade items- whatever is homey to you and yours. (NOTE for anyone reading this: if you rent, ask the landlord if you may paint, promising to return it to the original color when you move out. OR if you are the bold sort- you could just paint... it's sometimes easier to ask forgiveness than permission!)

Life is a journey and adventure.
Live it to its fullest. You never know when or where it might end. Take lots of photos and journal daily. Make a scrapbook as you go. This day will never come again... the years fly by like a 747!

Many thanks to Ma,
Elizabeth Foss
http://ebeth.typepad.com/reallearning/,
Danielle Bean
http://daniellebean.com/2009/11/
and Mary Ellen Barrett
http://maryellenb.typepad.com/tales_from_the_bonny_blue/
for teaching me these imortant lessons!

OK... the paint thing is ALL me!

Unwritten regrets

“So that no thought of mine, no matter how stupid, should ever go unpublished again.” ~ Mark Shea


And I might add… unwritten!
Many Thanks to Danielle Bean for posting that quote!
 
For too many years I have wanted to write but never taken the time to. Somehow I always fall victim to the idea that nothing I write is worthy and I kid myself that I will remember things. Now I deeply regret not jotting things down that the kids said or did when they were little, especially Dominic. He was carrying full conversations at age two! If I had wrote down the things that came out of that childs mouth, I'd of had a book! Oh they were funny! But can I remember them? No! I also regret not expressing my thoughts... at least privately in a journal. I'm only now beginning to understand that I need to express myself and get it off my mind and that there is value in that if nothing else.
So I hope the quote from Mr.Shea will help me break my non- writing habit...

I talked to my Dr. today...

He told me…

Get some exercise-
HAHA! I told him he was funny!

Try to loose some more of the weight from the pregnancy-
He is hilarious- it's the holiday season!

Try to get some more sleep-
I'm rolling on the floor now- I have a newborn in the house!

and get this-
I probably have a little stress to deal with!! –
I’m gasping for air!! I’m a Mom of 10 gifts from God!

He wins comedian of the year award!

~ Lori

Rabbit Trails

You never know from one day to the next what life with nine children will be like.... one thing is for certian... It is NEVER dull!

Our reading has sent us on a small Rabbit Trail. The last story in Devotional Stories for Little Folks, the Peterson kids form the Fatima Club. In the story we learned a bit about Fatima which sent us to reading St.Josephs picture book,Our Lady Of Fatima. Interestingly,we found out yesterday, that Tom and Mary are going to Fatima for the 90th Anniversary of the Dancing of the Sun October 13th! Today we looked Fatima up on Google Earth and were able to see some pictures of it. We began reading about Jacinta and Francisco as well. We will see how much longer this goes... The Rabbit doesn't seem to hold the young ones intrest as long as it did Dani's.

So far so good on the sale of Ma's house!! We have to get all the systems up and running and have it surveyed then we'll be able to close!! Thanks be to God!

We have the kids bathroom done and our shower and tub working! YESHOO! it is so nice to have an extra toilet and two more showers!

I still need to finish painting my room, the bathroom in my room needs to be tiled and Brendan's floor needs to get put down. We have a bit of trim work to do and closet organisers to put up and then we can get the kids in their rooms, occupancy or not....

Brendan is scooting all over in his walker, attempting to crawl and taking steps when you hold his fingers.

I was very happy to see on Michele's blog that she was still planning and gathering books last week... I don't feel so bad now! I'm still trying to get my plan together and I have a few books I'm waiting on too. I'm still stumped on Derek...

It still warm and sunny here. I am having trouble getting into the swing of things... the kids want to be outside and I have much to do, from lesson plans, to painting to getting Ma's cleaned out... so easily distracted am I....

Ah well... All in God's time!