Naive?

She`s not like that now.

She knows better.

She knows now that people lie & promises can be broken as quickly as they`re made.

She understands that you can`t change time, so every now & then it will just run out.

She knows that you can`t always expect people to care.

She has learned that in the end, you are your own best friend.

She knows that everyone will be broken at some point in their life & it`s gonna hurt like hell.

She realizes that you can`t change your fate.

She has learned that certain things no longer have the same importance that they once did … and other things, well, they have more.

And that happens because that`s the way it supposed to be.

And she knows that most people learn this later in life, but sometimes it surprises you and happens in an instant.

And in that instant, you learn so very much.

She knows.

I love my FREECYCLE!

Ya'll know about Freecycle, right?

The Freecycle Network is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns.

The Freecycle Network was started in May 2003 to promote waste reduction and help keep land from being taken over by landfills. The Network provides a forum to "recycle" unwanted useable items rather than throw them away. One person's trash can truly be another's treasure!

In the past few years, I have given away 2 computers, 2 small boy's bikes, a window air conditioning unit, boy's clothing, and much much more!

I have recieved a Men's bike, a milk-glass lamp, perennials for my garden, canning jars, and a twin-over-full bunk bed.

Check out the Freecycle group available in your area! It's a great solution for a global problem and might help fill a need your family has too!

Finding the Silver Lining in Life’s Sorrow

Surely everyone has heard the saying "Every cloud has a silver lining." Yet I admit that often I find it difficult in the moment to see a solid reason for bad things that occur. It’s difficult to stay positive when disappointing or painful events happen and to eventually discover the good outcomes to the hard times in your life. Life doesn’t teach us to automatically expect that things will work out to our advantage; we have to put some effort into reaching this conclusion.

It can be tough to overcome the worry and anxiety that circumstances bring and it’s challenging to learn to live a more peaceful life, rising to meet the mountains that we must climb. Yet climb we must, and it is that climb that allows us to rise to the highest peak, that peak that rises above the clouds, and see those clouds from a different perspective.

I’ve had to muster up the courage to overcome the pain in every situation. I have been blessed to have learned to embrace every moment; not waiting for what tomorrow brings, but enjoy and savor what this day has brought. Through all the lost loves and changed plans, there is always an underlying, tireless glow of optimism to be found even in the most broken of hearts.

Yes, even in the most broken of hearts

Boy-sicle, anyone?

I believe I have invented the boy-sicle! hehe! Allow me to explain.

Last year, the boy chose to ride his bike to the library without permission. Because he assumed that if I drove by and saw his bike in the bike rack when he was at the library without permission I would be angry (ya think???), he chose to hide his bike along the side of the building ... from where it was STOLEN. (yes, the mean mom does a happy dance every time she thinks of this ... after all, a lesson learned that I didn't have to teach!) Because he had his bike stolen due to the fact that he was misbehaving, he's been without one for about 10 months now. And it's been practically killing him! LOL!

I've used freecycle on and off for about 6 years now ... and on Monday spotted an offer for what sounded like a pretty nice bike. I answered it and the bike is mine. The bike was located aprox. 7 miles away. So, I struck a deal with the child that in exchange for cleaning the damn kitchen (A great big huge mess that HE made - and yes, that IS a bribe ... tough) I would drive him to pick up the bike. This morning, he cleaned half the kitchen (the amount required in advance) and I drove him to get the bike. He was told in advance that he would be riding the bike home. He was reminded that it is icy cold, wind chill of 11 degrees today with occasional flurries. He chose to wear shorts because "Mother, it IS spring!" No hat, no gloves, nothing. (Can you say DUH???)

We picked up the bike, we stopped at the gas station and checked the tires, I met him again at the police station where we licensed the bike, and then he rode home. You would think he'd be irritable ... at the gas station he starting to pitch a little fit about how cold it was and I was getting to ride in a nice warm car. I reminded him that I wasn't the one who neglected to lock my bicycle because I was where I wasn't supposed to be. That one reminder was all it took.

At the police station he was starting to get excited about the bike, saying that it handles really good and the gears shift smoothly. (It really is a very nice bike!) By the time he got home his cheeks (and his bare knees!) were bright red, but he was smiling. And gave me a big hug and said "Thanks, Mom".

Yes, he's a boy-sicle. Absolutely frozen! He sat and shivered in a blanket for about 10 minutes. Then he actually got up and started cleaning the kitchen again.

If you fall ...

off the face of the Earth, just keep falling.
And eventually the Universe will catch you.