Surprise!

 Another good day. What more could one ask.

Yesterday morning I was sitting at the pc. From that position I can turn my head to the left and see the front window. I had the blinds partially closed... just enough so I could see out but someone couldn't see in without plastering their face up against the window. I noticed someone outside looking around as though they didn't know which apartment they needed. The person pulled out their cell phone. About that time my phone rang.

"??! Huh?"

Was that person outside calling me?!? What the hell's going on??

It was my daughter from Texas, better known as my Texas daughter.

SURPRISE!!

No warning. No alert. Four months ago she mentioned she wanted to come to Oregon for a vacation trip... just her. Leave the hubby and two boys at home. That was the extent of the conversation. I had started to figure the economy had changed her plans, but here she was on my doorstep. Did I mention I was surprised?

She had gotten to town late last night and was staying with her mother-in-law just down the street a mile or so. (MIL has room and they seem to be good friends... up to a point, anyway.) She has her one-week all planned out so that she gets to see everyone.

We had a good conversation. Her most recent interest is in writing and she's signed up to take a writing course. I, of course, encouraged her to start a blog to help with the discipline needed to write daily. And... I lied to her when she asked me if I had a blog. (gasp) I don't want to have to tiptoe around with what I say on my blog. I mean, I do enough as it is... adding family pressure would be too much. So, no one that I know in the flesh knows about my blog. Only cyber friends know about it.

Its always pretty easy to talk with this daughter. I guess its mainly because she does most of the talking. hahahaha. She'll be back through here on Thursday. I'll have the dishes done and the floors swept by then.

Bedlam Has Arrived

Its called family life. Or Death by the Demons. Or Blessings by the Bowl Full. Or something in the middle.

 

 

 

No sedentary life now. Its all just constant movement.

They all love... oh look, I typed 'love' but meant 'look' (I'm leaving it in)... the same but a little older. Logical. Vyron is a dare devil who will hop on a scooter without stopping to wonder if he can 'ride' it and head straight for the curb while looking the other way as he giggles. He can also throw a tremendous pouting session for no particular reason. Good thing he's as small as he is and cute. Know what I mean?

Darius is more contained and asks for 'permission' to do things. He also remembers instructions. "Vyron, stop that. Gramma said not to splash water on the floor or else we will have to get out of the bath tub." Of course, Vyron doesn't pay any attention.

At the end of the day V. was very very tired and cranky. He decided to throw a tantrum by sprauling out on floor and WHINING VERY LOUDLY. After a few minutes it was time to put a stop to this. I spoke VERY FIRMLY to V., you know... explaining that 'we don't play that game here!!!' I told him to knock it off and get up. He took a couple of seconds to decide and then got up and went in the other room where his mother was. I suspect this isn't going to work all the time.

Of course, Darius had to point out to Vyron "See... I told you so!"

One of my Favorites

Below is one of my favorite photographs. Its one of Candace taken during a gym class. Its not so much my favorite because its of Candace, although it is part of it, but because of her "pose". I love how she is exhibiting both eagerness and a touch of shyness. Arms/hands held down but a grin on the face... her left foot (on right as you look at it) slightly sideways.

On the back the photo is labeled Candace First Grade 1988. She would have been 7 yrs old.

Its interesting to note that a person's body type at this age is not an indicator of how it will be in adulthood. I have another "favorite" photo of my #2 daughter at about this age. She's very shy looking, slender, looking a bit like a refuge (she was playing hard that day). She's definitely not shy and she is not slender. But she's still beautiful.