Funny Story Monday: My Mom

Since my last post was pretty depressing and the A to Z Challenge is over, I figured that I'd start doing Funny Story Monday posts again.  We all need to laugh right?

When I was in high school, I studied all the time.  I worked on homework for hours and hours every evening.  On one particular evening I was sitting at the kitchen table doing my homework with headphones on.  Listening to music helps me get into the zone and I can tune out most distractions.

I was working hard, listening to music and heard a weird knocking sound.  It was coming from behind me - the wall that bordered the garage.  I couldn't really tell what the sound was because of the headphones.  So, I took them off and heard, not only pounding, but screaming.  It was my mom.

I ran into the garage to find my mom sitting on the washing machine with her butt stuck inside.  She was actually stuck and she was kicking her legs against the front of the washer.  I can't remember if I started laughing or was so embarrassed that I was in shock.  If it were me now, I'd totally be laughing.

Why was she sitting in the washing machine?  Because our neighbor's pet ferret ran into the garage and scared the living shit out of her.  She is terrified of small critters.  It wasn't until somewhat recently that she got over her fear of cats.  A ferret running under her feet in the garage - she just couldn't take it.  I guess that she was trying to get to high ground.  She just didn't consider the outcome of jumping on the washer without closing the lid first.

Work That Makes You Cry

I was at a training today and it was tough. The entire day was centered around child safety.  We heard stories from child sexual abuse survivors as well as those who have molested.  I'm thankful that the lights were out when we were watching certain videos because I couldn't help to cry.

Why are there so many bad people in the world?  I just don't understand it.

Participating in this training makes me want to change jobs.  I want to work in an office or a coffee shop or at a campground.  It is so difficult being responsible for child safety.  There is so much evil out there - it terrifies me.  It really, really scares me.

I listened to one individual talk about how he had molested over 100 children.  He showed no remorse.  I wanted to kill him. 

Just as I was questioning my work, the presenter told our group that for every trained professional, ten children become safer.  So, because of the 30 people who were trained to screen and identify potential child molesters, 300 children are in safer situations.  This made me feel better.  This reminded me of why I deal with the difficult stuff.  It's for the kids.  Thank God for those of us who have the strength to stick around for a little while in this field. 

I still wish that abuse wasn't a part of this world.  I wish that no one ever had endure it.  I wish that children were always safe, always loved and always put first.  God, please help those of us in these roles stay intuitive, attentive, open, sane, compassionate and intentional. 

Zzzz

I am tired.  And in dire need of some rest and rejuvenation as well as lots of sleep.  Zzzz.  Don't you just feel like laying out a blanket and taking a nap here?  Zzzz.  I sure do.

I might just do that.  I'm officially on vacation for two weeks (except for the three days that I'm at a conference) and I couldn't be more excited.  I'm going to use these two weeks to rest, rejuvenate, have fun, enjoy every second with my husband, take my dog to the beach a lot, go fishing and canoeing, make a scrapbook for my grandpa's birthday, get back to doing yoga, take long bike rides, read a few books, go on photo shoots and take naps.  Yeah! 

I hope that all of you participating in the A to Z Challenge get some rest, too.  Way to go everyone!

*I'm participating in the 2013 A to Z Challenge. Every day in April (except for Sundays) I will be posting according to a letter of the Alphabet. To read more about my theme, click here.

You Know Me

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. 

You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 

You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all of my ways.
Psalm 139: 1-3

Sitting in Sand

I think that it is pretty awesome that God knows us so well and still loves us.  He loves us despite our neuroses and our fears and our weaknesses.  When I mess up, I know that He will not forsake me, that He will forgive me.  He knows my deepest thoughts - even those thoughts that are so undefined that I can't voice them.

Here are a few things that God knows about me and, now, so do you:

• I am terrified of not being able to support myself when I grow old.  This fear is almost paralyzing at times.
• Yesterday, I shot a 12-gauge shotgun for the first time.  Only twice - that was enough.  Everyone in those zombie apocalypse movies makes it look so easy.  It wasn't.  Shooting that gun scared me more than I imagined it would.  I'm pretty disappointed in myself.
• I am completely conflicted about having a baby.  One day I think that I'd love to and another day, I feel like maybe I'm not supposed to.  I just don't know what to do and I feel like I'm running out of time.
• I blame working an exhausting full-time job for keeping me from finishing the writing and photography projects that I have going on.  Though, the truth is that I am a procrastinator.  Big time.  I keep myself from those things that I don't accomplish and I totally hate this about myself.
• I turned 36 last week and I just do not feel like I am where a 36 year old woman should be.  I do not have things figured out like I thought I would.  I'm beginning to wonder if I ever will.

I absolutely love that God knows me - the real me.  Reminding myself of this helps when I feel like I'm losing my sense of self.  This is a truth that I ground myself in.  It is a rock.  He is my rock. 

*I'm participating in the 2013 A to Z Challenge. Every day in April (except for Sundays) I will be posting according to a letter of the Alphabet. To read more about my theme, click here.

Xenodocheionology

xen·o·do·chei·on·ol·o·gy

noun \ˌzenədəˌkīəˈnäləjē\

 

: the lore of hotels and inns

The Sofia Hotel

In my other life, I would own a hotel.  I love them.  Nice ones.  Not the ones that are grungy and so dirty you can't walk around barefoot.  I love really nice hotels.  I never stayed at the Sofia Hotel in San Diego but I did have coffee in their lobby during my lunch break when I had jury duty.  It was great.

One of my favorite hotel memories is when my husband and I stayed at the Le Merigot in Santa Monica.  We walked into the hotel, on a red carpet and the door man (who was wearing a long-tailed tuxedo and top hat) opened the door for us and our scruffy dog, Floyd.  Floyd walked into that hotel like he owned it.  People stared but we didn't care.  Our dog deserves the best.  If you are ever in Santa Monica, I would highly recommend this hotel.

When I was living in California my husband tried talking me into going to Vegas but I just didn't want to go.  Nothing about the place appealed to me.  In the 2007 firestorm, we were sort of forced to evacuate San Diego because the air quality was so bad.  We drove east and ended up in Las Vegas. 

It was not what I expected.  I had a blast and I think the main reason was because I spent 10 hours going in and out of really amazing hotels.  I love everything about them:  the vacation-like feel you get as soon as you walk in, the beautiful furniture and art, sparkling clean rooms and how everything you could ever want is in one place.    
  

*I'm participating in the 2013 A to Z Challenge. Every day in April (except for Sundays) I will be posting according to a letter of the Alphabet. To read more about my theme, click here.