UFO Sighting

There were a lot of calls yesterday for UFO sightings around here.

"Something very powerful is in the sky! There, see it? In between the crack in those clouds!"

Turns out it was just the sun deciding to make an appearance.

Just the sun? Did I say just the sun?

Seriously, the sun has been in hiding for so much of the spring, not to mention the very long winter, that this is a pretty big deal.

The atmosphere was so gray, in so many ways. To encourage myself I would think of how the sun is still always shining behind those thick clouds, but it doesn't make me any warmer.

Today, I feel like a different person with this bright UFO around. It's been hanging around all day!

Suddenly, there is warmth, brightness, hope. And I can't help but think that if I did not know the depth of dark gray days, I could not possibly appreciate this day as much as I do.

Happy sunshine northwest Ohio!

Photo of Lake Erie by TrevorLeePhotography.com

Deadly Duo and Easter

The four-legged crew pictured here is now known around here as the deadly duo. Bruce scales the heights of the counters and piano top to bat things around and then swats them down to the floor level where Frank awaits his newest play toys.

Toys can be anything really, mouth guards, coins, books, a bright pink ink pen (especially bright on white linoleum), and various plastic items. Today it was a food glazing brush that was drying in the sink tray. A few days ago it was the...turtle.

THAT was a sad day. Bernie the turtle (aka Weekend at Bernie's) did not fair so well with Frank's play.

When we found him upside down, tightly inside his injured shell, we put him in water right away to try to revive him. When he didn't respond we set him on his rock halfway out of water in a sort of hopeful/state of denial.

A couple hours later I found him in the water moving his legs a bit. I was so excited, I texted the boys with the news and renamed him Lazarus. It's possible that the cat knocked him in the water and he was moving with the water looking alive, but, either way, he didn't end up making it. We were all very sad.

We call the dog and cat duo, Murderer and Accessory, but really, they're just...not thinking or incapable of such. Our punishment will not help them. They don't understand. They need good instruction and mostly grace.

This morning, Easter morning, during some songs at church it occurred to me that me and my sin/my stuff, are the deadly duo that put Christ on the cross. The reason that He did what He did. Granted, I was born into this state, and I too, am often not thinking or incapable of recognizing some things. I was and am regularly in need of good instruction and mostly grace.

SO refreshing to realize that I am offered that grace freely.

Easter is really more like New Year's Day.

The Sprinkles of Spring

Thankfully, dreary days like these bring with them the promise of future flowers, like those popping up outside my kitchen window. Today I was admiring them along with some pansies I planted last weekend. Just at that moment one of the dogs walked up and peed right there. It's sprinkling everywhere.

On this rainy day I thought I would share a post I wrote for whatavisit. com a little while back. It sure fits today in Ohio! The last sentence is cut off in the layout...it's supposed to say "...how nice it was not to worry about leaving them sit at the table. I knocked on the window to wave at friends standing where I would be in a moment, to wait with others under the awnings for the crosswalk light. BG is a really warm town, even on a rainy day." Nothing like spoiling the ending! :)

The full rainy day story is at www.whatavisit.com/buzz. Happy spring!

Photo above from www.etwagnerphotography.blogspot.com Nice pics Lizzy!

It's Been a Rough Day for Frank

I got a call shortly after I left the house from Kyle, a family friend who was at the house with Dexter. "Shelley!" he said. I was afraid someone was hurt, but he quickly relieved my anxiety.

"The funniest thing just happened! We cannot believe this!" he said gasping with laughter.
"The cat peed in the dog dish! From the laundry basket in the cart! From inside the laundry basket! A perfect stream into the dish, for like 45 seconds! We're just shocked. We're not going to change the dogs' water just so you can see it."

Then Dexter: Mom, I heard running water and hoped one of the animals wasn't peeing. When I leaned into the laundry room I saw a yellow stream and then could not believe my eyes. I yelled for Kyle, who came in with a stunned look on his face. Bruce had pushed his butt up against the inside of the basket and peed directly from a square in the plastic grid, into the dog dish, for the longest time. I wasn't even upset because the aim was so perfect it was amazing. What do you think he could even be thinking?...I really wish I could know what he's thinking.

Thankfully Bruce doesn't do this type of thing too often.

This is Bruce on the job (below). While I worked today he simultaneously slept and systematically pushed whatever he could, off the shelf, and switched locations from boxes to envelope stacks and of course cluttering the entire corner of my office.

More pets news: we installed a wireless dog boundary system and were trying to acclimate them today. When Zoey first felt the 'static' she was mid-step. She stood there with her legs crossed, at first frozen, then she started to shake. Frank's first encounter made him cry. Honestly, that's a pathetic thing, a puppy crying. We should probably dial that thing down a notch.

One last piece of pet news today (yes, a big day): Frank's Daddy, Carlos is back from Alabama! He belongs to a seasonal truck driver at a local farm.

OK, seriously. I walked away from the computer for a couple minutes to take Trevor's call and share the stories of this crazy day. While I was on the phone with him the dishwasher basket full of dirty dishes...chased Frank across the kitchen. At least that must be what he thinks. His collar caught on the wire basket and he freaked out, shriek-yelping, while flying, crashing dishes littered the floor. His dog tag is missing (the dog warden will never believe this story).

Frank will not move from under the chair where Dave sits, the only one who hasn't traumatized him today.

It's been a rough day for Frank. He's been leashed & shocked outside, chased by gorillas (Mitch and Dex) and the contents of a dishwasher inside (all while trying to help with the dishes), the cat peed with perfect aim in his water, and he found out his Daddy is in town. He didn't even know he had a Daddy.

Mamma said there'd be days like this. They'rd be days like this. Mamma said.

What A Visit

So I started writing for this cool new website and have had a few other writing projects, so my blog is suffering! I figured I would share my recent little piece on the website with you. It's a sweet little true story you might enjoy at www.WhatAVisit.com/buzz .

As always, I love to hear your feedback! Hope you have a great week friends!

Above image is my Blackberry version of a screen shot. I really should learn more about the computer, AND buy a Mac!

25 Years Today

When I first met him he rolled out from inside a wrestling mat, of course. His charm was misunderstood (he was flirting with her). His credibility was misrepresented over the next week ("You might know my boyfriend Dave Lee!" ...I thought he had a girlfriend at every college).

Three years later he moved in next door. He didn't remember me, but you know I remembered him. He worked at winning me over nonetheless.

The Lake Michigan beach with a bunch of friends was our first outing (that word doesn't mean entirely the same thing today). Top Gun was our first date.

I remember the day he came driving into the apartment complex, bopping along in his sporty royal blue Omni GT, the same way he walks, and he smiled that big beautiful smile. I got this crazy warm feeling. I think that was the moment he captured my heart.

How today we have been married 25 years is crazy, wonderful, and mostly miraculous.

I started out a hopeless romantic. Life in a fallen world as a flawed human dealing with other flawed humans has made me a realist with hope.

I rarely find a greeting card that works for Dave from me. They're so...full of it. The cards I give him usually have words crossed out and additions of my own. Things that do not make it past my pen are phrases like "long lost love of my life", "soul mate", "my destiny", "my reason for living", "my universe". Such bullcrap.

Okay, sorry! I am told there are people who feel these words are true for them. But even my eternal optimism can't comprehend it. I mean, marriage relationship is just incredibly hard. Yes, there are many good things- I for one, contrary to how all of this sounds, feel incredibly blessed. But I feel one of the keys to getting to the 25 year mark and still loving him, is just being real.

The challenges over the years, of financial hardship, making a home together, parenting, losing a child, raising four sons, navigating careers and aspirations, trials and temptations, dealing with deep disappointments & times of despair...well, I don't know how we would have survived them all without being genuine about our hearts with each other and before God, and growing through it all. Plenty of people live in a state of denial. If I may give one piece of advice, I don't recommend parking there.

Here we are, 25 years later. I'm not going to start sugar coating things now. We are committed to love one another, we're not always in love, especially not always in like. But committed, at times like an insane asylum (I'm smiling), to working with each other, and supporting one another.

And through all of it I can say I have a handsome, upbeat, humorous, hard working, man of integrity, who loves God. I am blessed beyond measure. That, I can say with certainty. There just isn't a greeting card to match that. But Dave did wake me up this morning with a card that made me cry, because he put his own words in it.

I am celebrating today, and I am also praying for many loved ones in struggling relationships. But mostly I'm smiling. Because there is Hope. Great big beautiful Hope!

Happy Anniversary Babes. I love you, and today I like you too!

5 Guys With Shovels

The bulk of the blizzard sort of skipped over us. I really thought we would see huge drifts and actually get snowed in for awhile. To the north and south of us the weather was much more severe. I was a little concerned last night about power failure when the wind and sleet blasted and we saw a light flicker, but even that we were prepared for. So, honestly I was a little disappointed.

There were some nice things the "blizzard" did blow my way though.

Dinner and euchre with Dave, Mitch, Wes, and Dex, because I wouldn't let anyone leave in that weather.

The Office on DVD because Direct TV was out.

The Puppy, Frank, waiting to be let in, covered in snow and completely happy about it.

Later, Frank at the door being pelted by sleet, not as happy about it.

Two different neighbors who both came over and plowed our driveway, one of them with a back hoe! Wow, thanks guys!

I was remembering times years back when there were 5 guys with shovels and various skill sets working on that very long driveway. Today those 5 shovellers of mine are...smarter (expanded skill sets) and busy with other things. Even though the sidewalk got shovelled today, heavy equipment suits the time.

Once again, the thing I can count on is that things always change. And it's all good when we're moving forward and growing.

I am one thankful person. : )