Nearly everyone takes a vacation, nearly every year.  Not a news flash by any means.  Nor are the good ones, or the bad ones limited to a few of us out there.  Mine this year was probably one of the worst vacations I have ever had, but in some ways, one of the best.

First of all, you have to consider that I have a severe hearing problem.  I am completely deaf in my left ear, and on bad days, I can barely hear out of the right ear.  This makes it next to impossible to understand everything that is going on around me.  On top of the hearing loss, which I suspect is made worse by my allergies, I also suffer from tinnitus.  For those of you who do not know what this is, it is a constant, high pitched "ringing" or "squealing" in my ears.  In recent years, when my hearing loss is made worse by my allergies, I also have a buzzing on top of it all.

Imagine if you will, what the world around you would sound like, if all you could hear of a conversation, was only the vowels.  If you can imagine that for just a moment, then you know what it sounds like to me.  With the buzzing added in, including the sound of my own voice, you can imagine just how frustrating, and very difficult communication can be with me, and for me.

Now add two teenagers, who don't have a single iota of patience.  Add in a troubled teen, who is now on medication (and doing quite well I am glad to say), and a 15 year old diva, who thinks she runs everyone around her (literally, she does indeed think she rules our home.)  Now you can understand why I say this was one of the worst, and one of the best.

First we are trapped in the small confines of a Ford Focus (large and roomy for normal people on the inside), for the duration of 12 hours, over two days, getting to our destination in Las Vegas.  (Honey, it is fun, but at the same time, it isn't what it's cracked out to be either.  Especially with a bored teen boy, and a bossy, nosy, diva 15 year old.)

To make matters worse, my nerves and temper have been on the frayed end, because of the chronic pain I live with (in my back) every day.  I had hoped that the trip into the desert would help my allergies, and therefore my hearing, as well as the pain in my back.  Well....  it didn't quite work out the way I hoped.

Okay, we finally arrive for the first part of our leg, in Gallup New Mexico.  Some of the most beautiful country in the world, and nearly as primitive and rugged as it was 200 years or so ago.  With the esception of roads, electricity and cars and such, the area is really pretty much the same as it was way back when.  There are just more people there now.  I found myself easily imagining what life was like for the cowboys working the range, and bringing in cattle.  Oddly, this had quite a calming effect, until.....  You guessed it.  The first night in the motel! 

Fortunately, some of that was made a little easiet by the fact that I insisted my step son bring along his x-box, so he would have something to do.  He isn't into the whole nature routine, so he makes life miserable for those around him, because he hates that whole scene.  His sister on the other hand, loves all of that stuff, so it is a little easier to keep her busy, aside from the fact that she wants to be parked right under your nose the whoe time you are out there.  That wouldn't be so bad, if she didn't think she was top dog!

Ho hum...  Well, the first night is winding down, and we are finally getting some rest.  Or trying to.  My best advice to you?  AVOID Travelodge motels at all cost!  The beds were hard, and lumpy, the rooms crowded, and the kids cranky, which made me cranky, which made them cranky and so on...  (yeah, you guessed it, my back suffered even more for that side stop.)  The only redeeming quality of that place was the hot tub in the pool area, blessedly inside.  Sure felt good, as long as I was in it.  Once I got out, the back just went whammo again.  Damn the bad luck, eh?

Stay tuned tomorrow or the next day, depending on how my recovery goes, after the last week!  LOL

Hugs y'all!  Sure is good to be home, and back online again!

Don't know how much of a vacation it will be with two teens along, who don't get along with each other, but...  Well there it is.  We will be gone til July7!  Have a great week!

Angel

There is no way to know for sure.  God tells us this in the Bible.  But if you read Matthew chapter 25, I think it is a pretty good picture of where we are heading.

All of the biblical scholars I have spoken to, in recent months, agree that recent catastrophic events which are taking place, point to the very real possibility that end times are approaching fast.  The recent earth quakes, flooding, and severe weather, just to name a few.  The upcoming election this year is also a sign.

No matter what you believe, it wouldn't hurt to read Matt. 25, and give it some thought.  Since this is pre-ordained, there is nothing we can do to stop what will come, but we can at least get our hearts in the proper place, and get things right with our heavenly Father.

For those of you who do not believe as I do, please do not take offense.  This is not a message to preach for your salvation.  This is a message of hope, and what you choose to do with it is up to you.  I never try to force my views on anyone, only to share what I know, and what I see.

God bless us all.

Angel

Stick around and enjoy the wonderful friends I have made here on Yuwie.  Friends are so much more important than making money, so why should I give up the friends I have, and cancel my account.  Over the next few weeks I will be weeding through (a slow and painful process) and deleting friends I never hear from, so I can keep in touch with those I do more often.  With over 800 people on my list, and 9 non active referrals, I just can't keep up with it all!  LOL  So...  If I happen to get amyone by mistake, please forgive me, and ask to be put back on!

Hugs and lots of love to all!

Angel

This was written about a year ago, but it still applies! 

I have since sent thos to my parents, who sometimes don't know how we feel about them.  I remember when I was growing up, how all the kids wished my parents were their parents.  No one else listened the way my parents did, and I try to do the same with my own kids.

I have got two of the best parents in the world.  When I was growing up, everyone wanted my prents to be their parents!  Through it all, they have been there for me, picked me up when I have fallen, and always encouraged me to keep going.  I can remember many times they were there for me, when I least expected it, too.  Well, it has happened again. 

Mom called tonight to pick my brain about a virus she has had for the last week.  Being a nurse, I get a lot of that, and I don't mind at all.  Thing is, we got to talking about my back, and how I am waiting for my QMB determination to go through, to know whether or not I can go to the univeristy hospital for possible treatment and surgery.  After I hung up, Mike brings me the phone again!  It was Daddy this time.

After many tears, and false starts, Daddy told me that he and Mom would pay for anything Medicare wouldn't cover, so I could get my back taken care of.  How can one kid be so lucky to have two such wonderful parents.  I know I have been blessed, and I try hard to be the same parent they have always been for me.  It ain't always easy, and they tell me that is normal.  God knows there have been days when I wanted to choke the s**t out of them, and other days when I just wanted to hug the stuffing out of them.  No matter what, I love them all.  Jennifer, who won't talk to her old mom  or anyone esle in the family anymore, Saundra, who has forgiven her mom for being an idiot human, with all the human flaws that go with it, Cory, who is learning to trust me and accept me as a step mom, and Ashley who is more like me than I care to admit and drives me absolutely nuts sometimes, but has more love than she wants the world to see.

God, I thank you for my parents, my daughters, and my step children.  I thank you for Mike, and all the challenges and pain along the way that has made me who I am today.

Hang in there folks, if you have kids.  They are worth all the frustration, hair pulling (Yours not theirs), knuckle biting (again yours) laughter, joy, and just plain everything that goes with being a parent.  Through it all, there is no greater blessing than your children, whether they are yours, or your step children.  You love them, you teach them the best you can, and you pray hard you have given them what they need to succeed in life, and then....  You get ready to be there to catch them when they fall, as they will.  Just as you have.

Thanks Mom and Dad!  You have made me what I am today, and God took care of the rest, through you.

Author Unknown

Someday when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will tell them, as my Mean Mom told me: I loved you enough . . . to ask where you were going, with whom, and what time you would be home. I loved you enough to be silent and let you discover that your new best friend was a creep. I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that should have taken 15 minutes. I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointment, and tears in my eyes.

Children must learn that their parents aren't perfect. I loved you enough to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart. But most of all, I loved you enough . . . to say NO when I knew you would hate me for it. Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too. And someday when your children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates parents, you will tell them.

Was your Mom mean? I know mine was. We had the meanest mother in the whole world! While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast. When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches. And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was different from what other kids had, too.

Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison. She had to know who our friends were, and what we were doing with them. She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or less. We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the Child Labor Laws by making us work! We had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lie awake at night thinking of more things for us to do. She always insisted on us telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. By the time we were teenagers, she could read our minds and had eyes in the back of her head. Then, life was really tough!

Mother wouldn't let our friends just honk the horn when they drove up. They had to come up to the door so she could meet them. While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until we were 16. Because of our mother we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. None of us have ever been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's property or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault.

Now that we have left home, we are all educated, honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean parents just like Mom was. I think that is what's wrong with the world today. It just doesn't have enough mean moms! PASS THIS ON TO ALL THE MEAN MOTHERS YOU KNOW. (And Their Kids!!!)

My head pounds fit to burst,
Light explodes behind my eyes.
My heart pounds in my ears,
My teeth are clenched in pain.
Go away headache, not today.
For poetry I must read,
At Yuwie.com I have a quest,
To be all that I can be...

:-)~

Time for another funny.  Insomnia does great things for my creativity sometimes!  LOL  I hope you enjoy this, as much as I enjoyed writing it!

confusion station...

Well, here we are again. The awesome state of confusion. Still can't find my way around here, and the road maps change on an hourly basis, so they are no help at all...

On that note, I must say that I have concluded that it is the goal of every male born on this planet, or at least the greater majority of them, to keep us poor simple females in a constant state of confusion. Do a right fine job of it too, you ask me. Of course you don't have to ask me, it is only my opinion, but it sure seems like most females I have spoken with on this topic generally agree with me. And the road maps? Yeah right. Like they would ever give us one that makes sense! LOL

Don't get me wrong, I am in a good relationship, and I love him dearly. I have never had such a normal relationship, despite the quirks and challenges of being a step mom to two teenagers. One being a boy, he is well on his way to becoming an expert in keeping females in the state of confusion. Makes me wonder if they start their training at a young age... The other being a newly hatched female type teen (13 in July), well, she is getting the teen tantrums and so on down pat... Gorges on attention from mom, and loves to talk the baby talk... hmmmmmmmm... does this mean the teen years are a revertion to baby hood? Need to think on that one a while. Get back to you on that one.

All that aside, living in the state of confusion isn't always bad. It has its rare moments of clarity, usually when he's had a couple of beers. LOL For example, this past week end, we did the family thing again, and took the kids to see a movie. At the mall. Two teens. At the movies. In the mall. Naturally we had to do the mall after the movie. Ho hum. I hate malls! Too big, too crowded, and too expensive. And hey, what is ever really new there? Same shops in everyone blasted one of the danged things, so what is the draw, other than 10,000 shops to drag your parents through and try to wheedle different stuff out of them that would cost half the price at Walmart. Oh Lord, don't get me started on Walmart. Now don't get me wrong, I love Wally World. Low prices, most stores have groceries and electronics and clothes, just to name a couple. Even some nice jewelry and housewares and stuff. But taking teens, after school, when every other teen is at Walmart, if they couldn't coerce their parents into taking them to the mall? Madness, I tell ya! Sheer madness. Never come out of there for less than 200.00...

There's that road map again. Need to check it. I thought I saw directions to a place called understanding... OOPS! Wasn't quick enough. It changed again, and understanding just fell right off that blasted thing. Durned maps. LOL I'm telling you, there really are no reliable maps. I know as soon as I try to set off for places like the cuddle zone, or the peace and quiet zone, or best of all the understanding landing, it will be gone before I can get there! I know, because I tried once. By the time I got there, they had a sign in the window. "Understanding has closed due to a lack of availability."

Don't you just love living in the land of the lost? Oh wait, that one was on the map somewhere... Yeah... There it is. Right next to patience... Hmmm... There is a foot note... Oh ok. Never mind. Footnote says they are still under construction and not expected to open any time this century.

On a happier note, there is one place that never changes on the maps I have managed to catch here and there. It's a wonderful place, and all females need to check it out. It's called tenderness. Yeah, it's there. Sometimes you have to hunt for it a bit, but when you really need it, it's there. Sometimes it even flashes the cuddle zone with it, and then it's like heaven.

Take care ya'll. I am going to the tenderness zone for a while myself. Tonight it is flashing the sleep and cuddle zone together! Now there is a treat I just can't pass up!

This is one of my favorite subjects.  I am ever amazed at what the touch of a human hand can do, and how much it can mean in the life of any one of us!  It has been researched so many times, and all say the same thing.  The human touch can offer more than just tactile stimulation.

Of course everyone has noticed that when you meet up with family, or close friends at holidays, everyone is hugging, and laughing, and happy.  But what about other times?  What about the times that aren't so happy?  Funerals?  Times of illness or hardship?  What about then?

Well of course, during the normal course of events, everyone hugs at funerals.  Especially the closest berieved.  Why is that?  Ever really think about that?  It is really quite simple.  A hug is not just a hug!  It is a way of offering love, and friendship.  During sad and hard times, it is a way of offering sympathy and support.

OK, hugging aside, which is probably one of the most important forms of human contact we have, there are other things about human touch that are important.  When someone is upset, and very nearly ready to lose control, sometimes a simple touch of the hand, from someone they trust, is all it takes to calm them down.  Just like laughter, a simple touch can relieve stress, and ease the upset, sometimes down below the boiling point.

Touch is the way in which a monther and her baby bond.  The cuddling and cooing going on isn't just because that baby is cute.  Watch animals with their young.  They do it too.  It is a way of memorizing the feel, the scent, the sounds that baby makes.  A way of marking that child as your own.  Of course humans don't need to do that anymore, but it is still so important to the bonding process, and to the health of that baby! 

In instances where babies are born prematurely, and have to spend time in a neo natal unit to survive, research has shown that touch is critical to the survival of these babies.  If they don't get that cuddling, and cooing, they will not thrive.  Most will die!  For these babies to feel the touch of their mother's hand, and hear the sound of their mothers' voice, means the difference between life and death for them.

Touch is powerful.  Just as powerful as laughter!  Both ease stress, offer reassurance, love, sympathy, and so much more.  Without touch, we don't survive!  Depression, futility, misery, and death can be the result many times, just for the lack of a simple touch of your hand, or the brush of your lips across a baby's temple.

Next time someone offers a hug?  Make sure you give it back ten fold, and see what a difference it makes.  The comfort you offer to a soul in need may indeed be your own.

Well maybe not, but it IS good for you...  LOL

All of us have those days.  Everything that can go wrong...  it does!  Every number you dial...  is busy!  Worst yet?  You can't even get through to 911!

You feel as though the last friend you have has left the planet, leaving you alone and defenseless...  Was that a transporter beam I just saw???  Well hell...  IT WAS!

Okay.  The day is probably about as dark as it is going to get, right?  Right?!?  RIGHT!!!???!!!  Okay, maybe not...  The bank just returned your last 20 checks because your payroll check bounced...  And you own the business!

Lord have mercy on my soul!  Can it get any worse?  Can it???  I am totally afraid to ask, now!!!  But...  Well can it???

You open the door to your home, feeling you might just be safe at last, only to find....  Your mother in law has come for a surprise visit!

So what do you do now?  Do you sit down and cry?  Do you run back out the door? 

Honestly?  The best solution, no matter what is going on in your life, whether happy or sad, easy or hard...   Laughter!  No matter how hard it is to give even a half hearted smirk...  Laugh!  Out loud!

Believe it or not, laughter releases some pretty powerful endorphins, and helps relieve a lot of different ills.  Laughter can help relieve pain, depression, heartache (yeah, I said heartache)...  and the list goes on.  Almost anything you can come up with is always made better, or even driven away by laughter.  Believe it or not, it has helped cancer patients master their pain, and reduce the amount of pain medication they need! 

SO!  Even if you have to force yourself at first, give it your best shot.  Think of the funniest thing you can.  Turn on a comedy show or movie.  Whatever it takes, even if you just close your eyes and try to imagine your mother in law naked.  Well...  maybe not that... 

Much love to all!  Laugh yourself to sleep!