Overheard at My House

Me (to my 16 year-old right after voice texting on my new-to-me Apple Watch): You know, I've had some kind of smartphone since 2009, but it wasn't until I got this watch that I felt like I was living in the 'future' that the movies of my teen years promised. I guess we're halfway there.

My 16 year-old: All of my generation's future movies are dystopian...I guess we're halfway there.

Point. Set. And Match to my 16 year-old.

Another Slice of My Life

This has been a really stressful time at work. Over the last two weeks we've had to put out annual campaign letters, write an important grant, and learn a new financial system while also making sure we stick to our budget down to the last penny because everything slows down in the summer. So, I submitted the grant on Tuesday, handed my first financial report over to the accounting firm on Wednesday, and was looking forward to a less stressful day when I got up this morning.

So, of course, the baby woke up with a low-grade fever. Not that I took her temperature to verify it-with 5 kids I'm not sure we still even own a functioning thermometer. But I'm a mom of 5 and I know a fever, right? So I resolved to take her to work with me and texted her home daycare provider to let her know. Then, I dropped the 8th grader off for her early morning biology class (a program called "zero hour" that lets 8th graders take a high school class before the actual start of school) and the two younger girls at elementary school. This left me with the 2 year-old and the 6th grader who usually goes with me to drop his little sister off since he prefers not to  hang around outside the school while his older sister is in class-except on Tuesdays when there is also 6th grade choir practice. But today, of course, is Thursday.

Since we weren't dropping off his sister, we decided to go back home so I could unload the dishwasher and start the washing machine and do some other general cleaning before he had to be at school. I texted my co-workers to warn them of my tardy arrival with a two year-old in tow and then the boy and I did some clean up around the house. About 15 minutes after we arrived, the phone rang. It was the elementary school informing me that my 9 year-old's cap had come off of her baby tooth and was bleeding. So, I rounded everyone up, dropped the boy off at middle school, and picked up the 9 year-old. The school health aide said she had packed Caroline's mouth with gauze and that the cap was in a baggie, Caroline waved the bloody thing in my direction and I nodded at it briefly before I told her to put it away without further examination. I texted husband (who had also been called) to let him now I had her with me. I texted my co-workers to let them know I had no clue what was happening for the rest of the day.

Then, my husband and I took turns playing phone tag with the dentist office and each other. In the meantime, my daycare provider texted me to ask what Alexis' temperature was. I am new to this home daycare and I love it! (She lets the kids wear cloth diapers and takes them to Monday morning story time at the library-among other pluses). I didn't want to admit to her that we didn't have a working thermometer in the house. I also had no clue what was going on with the dentist office yet. So...I took the feverish kid and the bleeding kid to Wal Mart because I am awesome like that.

We bought a new thermometer. We bought new toothbrushes for EVERYONE. We bought a second set of sponge rollers so the girls will no longer fight about who gets to have their hair rolled up on Saturday night before church on Sunday. We bought ingredients for tonight's dinner. And at some point, Dave called to fill me in on the dental drama that had unfolded while we shopped:

First, he was informed that the dentist we used had left their practice for another one and our insurance no longer covered the remaining dentists. So, he called the new office where he was informed that while our dentist had re-located there and that they took our insurance; it would be at least 24 hours before they could see her because they would have to process our "new patient" paperwork. And finally, the former dentist's office agreed to see her in this emergency. But only if we paid out of pocket. Neither one of us liked the thought of her running around with her cap off and a gaping hole in her jaw (it's a pretty serious cap because it was a pretty serious cavity), so we went with that plan. And agreed that we pretty much hated all dentists.

I paid for my groceries and had just enough time to drive them home before I was to meet Dave at the dentist office, leave the girls with him, and go do my job for three hours because he had just finished three hours at his. I stuck the perishables in the fridge, left the rest on the counter, and out of curiosity grabbed the new thermometer to check Alexis' temperature. AND IT WAS 98.6. Because I am not as good and instinctive with knowing when my kid has a fever as I think I am. (She still felt warm to me, though. But I took it three times. Basically, I am an idiot.) Then, en route to the dentist, Caroline popped the gauze out of her mouth and asked me about the tooth fairy visiting tonight. I explained to her that her baby tooth still wasn't ready to come out and that we would be getting her a new cap for it just like the one that fell out. And that's when she said: "But Mom, the rest of my baby tooth fell out WITH my cap. See? It's in this baggie." And, when I got to the dentist's parking lot and took a much closer look at it, indeed it was. And when I checked her gauze-free jaw, I saw that not only was the entire tooth gone, but that the adult molar was growing in already. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE USEFUL INFORMATION AN HOUR AGO.

At about that point, Dave pulled into the dentist parking lot. He took Caroline in briefly to ascertain that their services were no longer required and then moved the girls to his car. Caroline was headed back to school (to her chagrin) and Alexis was going to stay home because even without a fever she was cranky and clingy. A further examination of her jaw revealed that she is cutting her 2 year molars Not unlike the one in the baggie in her big sister's backpack. Did I mention I bought new toothbrushes today?

Needless to say, Dave and I had a good laugh, vowed to always look more closely at the icky baggies the school nurse sends home, and agreed that the biggest reason we believe in God is because we couldn't make this stuff up if we tried.

And then I went to work and spent my three hours preparing as much of next month's financial report as I could and double-checking my next round of grant deadlines. JUST. IN.CASE

The End.

So Far Today I Have:

• Got out of bed at 5:30 a.m. and ushered 5 kids through breakfast and getting dressed and out the door by 7:00 (thank you Natalie's 7:20 Biology class).
• Gone to work where I: Balanced the work checkbook, put the finishing touches on the annual campaign mailing (1800+ letters are ready to go now), made several phone calls begging for money for the museum (a prospect that TERRIFIED me 6 months ago and now barely phases me), made a post office run, did some grant research and soothed the nerves of a very rattled bride-to-be.
• On the way home I stopped bought dinner ingredients and thread and bobbins so that when I got home I could: Put dinner in the oven and sew four more fleece cloth diaper pockets.
• After dinner: We cleaned the living room and I coached the kids through homework and helped Natalie make a pillow for Caroline from her outgrown (but very beloved) "monkey jammers." (jammers=pajamas in Caroline-speak)
• And now: I have about four more diaper pouches to make before collapsing in bed so I can start all over again tomorrow.

Because...I AM Superwoman!

What a Year!

About a year ago, I got a message from the new director at the museum where I was about to resume my part-time job after a year's hiatus when Alexis was born. When I saw her number on the caller ID and heard her message to "call the Harn," I knew it meant that budget cutbacks were going to prevent my return. But I was wrong. Instead, she offered me a full-time position as Education Director. At the time, neither of us knew that she would depart the museum within six months leaving me in charge!

I can't believe how fast things changed both at the job and in our life as a family in the last year. This Christmas, we didn't have to go into debt to give our family a nice and not overly extravagant holiday. This summer, we were able to take a couple of small trips and I was even able to take the girls with me to Seattle to visit with their relatives while I enjoyed my annual girlfriend's getaway at the Oregon coast. (Why just the girls? When vacationing with 5 kids, it's all about 'divide and conquer.') And, I was finally able to retire my car for a newer used one. It turns out that having functioning a/c in the car during record summer heat really does help you feel less wiped out at the end of the work day. Who knew?

Even after a year, there are still time-management and scheduling challenges; not to mention the organizational challenges here at the house which I know I bemoan frequently in my infrequent posts here. But we keep working on it, and that's all we can do. But more than the changes in our circumstances, I am also enjoying the changes in the way I live my life. At work, I am the boss and I have to take charge. I can't worry about whether or not each and every one of my decisions is going to please each and every person who takes a tour, books a field trip, or rents the facility. Obviously, we WANT to please these people, but I've had to learn to let go and not freak out at every raised eyebrow, not to back pedal each time someone says "Well, when (insert former Director's name) worked here...," or to flinch at every mother-of-the-bride tantrum. (FYI: I'm not sure why they always call them "Bridezilla's" their moms can be WAY worse.) I've had to sit in front of the financial officers of several foundations and explain to them by myself why we are asking them for money. In short, I've finally proved to myself that the potential so many others have seen in me over the years is really there. I'm not perfect, I make mistakes daily as a mom, as a wife, as a family member, and definitely as an Executive Director. But now I know that those mistakes don't make me less worthy to serve in any of those capacities.

And at almost 40 years-old, that's good to know.

One Minute Writer

Yesterday, The One-Minute Writer asked about a phrase you find yourself using frequently. (The prompt for today wasn't nearly as relevant.) That was easy. My theme for my life right now is "It is what it is." And I say it all the time. "It is what it is" means that even if things go wrong, even if not everybody in the whole wide world thinks I'm awesome, my house is a mess, my kids are fighting, we are running late, or I've got a million deadlines at work I'm racing to keep up with; I will just keep moving forward and doing my best and allowing that not everything will work out perfectly. It is what it is. The End.

Week in Review

Reading


Oliver Twist-


I won tickets to a local production of Oliver! earlier this summer. When I discovered I could download the Dickens classic for free, I decided it was worth a re-reading. Especially when you consider I hadn't read it since elementary school. If I ever finish it, it will be our new 'family reading' book. The problem is finding time to read AND getting all of my kids in the same house at the same time. But we will get there. And again, Charles Dickens doesn't disappoint.

Watching


Since 19 Kids and Counting  finished its season, I haven't watched much. I have seen a few episodes of Kate Plus 8 and while she may not be the nicest person on the planet, I know what it's like to be judged harshly by people who never bothered to get to know me and I can't imagine how awful it would be to have my marriage fall apart on national TV. I think the kids did benefit from their time away from the camera, but they seem OK to me now that they are back on the air. I will always be a bit protective of those kiddos because they were born on the same day as Elisa. And while I certainly lack Kate's Type A organization and time management skills, I respect them. And I really don't like the fact that we still live in a world where it's somehow not OK for a woman to know exactly how she wants something to be and sticks to her guns until it's accomplished.

At the Movies


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2-


I saw this last week when it premiered, but Natalie was at Girls' Camp when that happened so I took her to see it this week. (I LOVE that she wanted to see it with me more than anyone else, because who knows how long that will last.) I cried just as much the second time and loved it just as much too. Perhaps during some downtime on my upcoming vacation I will post in more detail now that Blogger has added a 'click to read more' tool so that I don't spoil it for anyone.

Away We Go


An independent film starring Maya Rudolph that barely touched the theatres before it was gone. And I'm not sure why because I absolutely loved it. :) It's about a couple that is looking for the perfect place to raise their first child and I believe Ms. Rudolph was actually pregnant during filming. It also features John Krasiniski, Catherine O'Hara, Jeff Daniels, and some hilarious cameos by Allison Janney (who I adore) and Maggie Gyllenhaal. You should check it out! (And by "you", I mean "Anne.")

On Broadway


Ragtime-


When Natalie was little, the Rosie O'Donnell show featured a song from this "brand new on Broadway" show. Audra McDonald performed it. I knew someday I HAD to see it. I had no idea how sad and powerful it would be, but I enjoyed it. And the costumes were so good they are worth mentioning too-and I usually don't notice anything but the songs when I see a show.

"How to Eat Like a Child..."-


This wasn't really on stage, but it was Tristan's last show for the summer. For the last three weeks of rehearsals he has downplayed how funny he would be and how appropriate his solo was (instead of tears of pride, I had tears from laughing). I feel like an idiot for not taping it. Maybe I can get him to sing an encore. As a reward, he got to go to a movie last night after the show and to Great Wolf Lodge with my mom, my sisters, and their kids this weekend. I hope he's having a great time!

Out and About


My work week was light, so most of my evenings were spent cleaning the house instead of blogging/shopping/or anything otherwise remotely entertaining. Which is why I enjoyed seeing so many of my 4th ward friends even if it was because some of them are moving out of state and had a going away party. :( The Norman Oklahoma stake without Bob and Tracy and their awesome kids? I can't imagine it. :(

And my final thought for the week is this: The best thing about having to speak in church is when you have finished your talk and returned to your seat. Can I get an amen?

I'm off for Seattle and the Oregon Coast with Natalie and Caroline which either means that blogging will be much more frequent because I'm on vacation OR non-existent because I'm having a great time. Or both! Have a great week!

A Week in the Life Of Me

As much as I would have liked to update my blog at some point last week, I just didn't have time. So for grins and giggles I thought I would give a brief rundown of everything I had on my plate last week:

Sunday: Drive back from the Saturday trip to Stillwater. We were on a tight schedule because Natalie, Tristan, and Caroline were to participate in a flash mob at the mall for CCOC and then have one final cast party at the home of the church pastor whose church hosts their rehearsals each year.

(This is First Presbyterian Church in Norman. Not only are they gracious enough to house the CCOC office and provide rehearsal space for the kids' camp, two of my favorite people ever are members there: Wendy, her mom Mary Kay, and their families. It's a great church family, even if it's not mine. I have yet to meet anyone from there who isn't a class act. And that's saying something because I tend to be very critical of anyone who calls themselves a Christian and then treats others like crap.)

Once we got back, we took the kids to the mall for the flash mob and then I took the older ones to the cast party. After the cast party, we had to wash Natalie's clothes and pack her up for Girls' Camp and my work clothes and the kids' outfits prepared for the rest of my busy week.

Monday: Drop Natalie off for camp on my way to work. At work, I had to get caught up on all messages both phone and email (weekend messages are always busy), do damage control following a weekend wedding (there wasn't much for a change-yay!), do as much paperwork as possible (Mondays are set aside for me to do that), and prepare for an afternoon downtown meeting with a potential funder. I am new to these type of meetings and they terrify me even though I usually feel good about them when they are finished. I think it goes without saying how important these meetings are the to survival of any non-profit, in particular one that does not feed/clothe hungry children and could easily be considered as "optional" in today's economy.

Tuesday: Drive 15 minutes out of my way to East Norman to drop off Tristan at my grandmother's so he can attend his afternoon theatre class. Drive another 15 minutes out of the way to North OKC to drop the other kids off at my mother's because my grandmother can't watch a 2 year old and Natalie is unable to help while she is at Girl's Camp. All of this before my 8:30 a.m. orientation at the OKC Chamber of Commerce. The museum is a member and while they do these meetings monthly, this is the first time my schedule at the museum has permitted me to attend one. I learned a lot and actually did a little networking-this meeting is geared more towards businesses than non-profits and I am pleased that I made some meaningful connections. Of course, this meant it was almost lunch time before I got to work and I spent the rest of our shortened work day trying to get caught up on messages and paperwork before it was time to go. On Tuesdays I can't stay late because there are Rainbow meetings or board meetings to attend. This evening was an informal meeting because most of the girls were out of town, so I took the girls and my younger kids to see Rio at the dollar movies. Fun, but hectic.

Wednesday: This was my most terrifying meeting of the week. I submitted a rather large grant last month, and the follow-up interview was this morning. This grant is 10% of our operating budget and the organization has made it clear that in today's economic climate, any organization who wants their money had better cross every 't' and dot every 'i'. After the meeting, which I hope went well, I could NOT wind down enough to focus on anything else in the detail I would have liked. That is also the day I inadvertently deleted half of the acknowledgement letters I have been writing since our big fundraiser event in May. This was the evening we left the kids at my mom's for a sleepover because my car is slowly but surely breaking down and taking four kids with us to bargain hunt didn't seem like what Dave and I wanted to do. But, at least we had a nice dinner alone before to car shopping started. We *think* we found one. When it's definite, I'll share more details.

Thursday: Part of the reason we sent the kids to the grandparents for the night was because I had 8 a.m. training at the Center for Non-Profits. It is the third session in a series of four aimed at helping me be the best Executive Director I can. After so many other meetings in the last week, and because this month's subject was "HR, Legal, and Financial matters"; I really had to work to focus. But I still remember the details as I'm typing this, so focus I did. Unfortunately, these great workshops only leave me with a couple of hours at work to accomplish everything I usually do in a full work day. Especially with all the disruptions in this week's schedule. I answered emails and voicemails and called it good.

At least this day had an awesome bonus! As big clients at Wells Fargo bank, my parents were invited to a pre-screening of the final Harry Potter movie. Chris, the kids, and I were able to see it at 6 p.m. instead of midnight. When we got there, we walked past hoards of teens in costumes, and right into the theatre! We even had popcorn and drink vouchers AND it was in 3D. My mother's side of the family has always had pretty significant savings and investments, but rarely have I felt like (or been treated as) someone with money. So seeing the last Harry Potter movie in 3D for free with free drinks and popcorn? That was pretty sweet-even for an almost 40 year-old. I'm not sure the kids were as excited as I was. Not only did the movie make me teary, the symmetry of the situation did too. My parents, Selena, and I watched the midnight showing of the first one at the same theatre 9 1/2 years ago when I was very pregnant with Caroline. This time, she was sitting next to me. Aww!

Friday: Fortunately, I had NO meetings, orientations, or trainings to attend. Unfortunately, all the work that needed to be done while those were happening was waiting for me. And then, I got a call from Natalie that went like this: "Hey! I know you thought we were coming home from camp tomorrow. But it's actually today. Will anyone be home to let me in the house in a couple of hours?" Dave and I scrambled because neither of us could leave work, but fortunately it was "Aunt Chris" to the rescue. She met Natalie at our house and took her to my grandmother's. And it's not like I wasn't thrilled to have Natalie home 24 hours earlier than I thought she would be there. So, we had our usual pizza night at grandma's. And boy did I need the down time.

Saturday: A crazy work week can only mean that today was spent playing 'catch up' on the housework and errands before visiting Del City Rainbow for their Installation and dance. Fortunately, the girls weren't that into the dance and we left early. Because, oddly enough, I was exhausted. Wonder why?

This week has no meetings, trainings, or other big activities until Tristan's last show of the summer this Saturday. And all I can say is "YAY!"

Thursday Thirteen

Apparently, I pinched a nerve in my elbow this morning. As I've mentioned here many times before, neither my right nor my left hand is dominant. It's called Gerstmann's syndrome. All it's really meant in my life is that I'm hopelessly uncoordinated, have terrible handwriting skills, and a somewhat diminished capacity for spatial reasoning. It also took me forever to learn to drive. It also means that I do some tasks with my right hand and others with my left. Switching back and forth between the two has always been unconscious on my part, and the way I used to pass my pencil from right to left and back really used to frustrate my Kindergarten and 1st grade teachers. (And, in case you are curious, Elisa is the only child of the five who seems to have the same issue.)

Anyway, because I get searing pain in my upper arm and tingling in my fingers each time I extend my left elbow; I've been trying to use my right hand for everything today. Unfortunately, I haven't been doing a very good job with that. Based on the many times today I've inadvertently caused myself pain today, I've compiled a list of 13 things that I clearly do with my left hand:

1. Buckle my seatbelt.
2. Drive (I know we all start with two hands, but it turns out I default to my left. Ow!)
3. Button and zip my pants (and I've been trying to wear nicer slacks/capris to work since the Executive Director title became official), though apparently I unzip with the right. Who knew?
4. Open bottled water
5. Hold beverages
6. Gesture to items in the Farmhouse while teaching visiting kids.
7. Gesture to items in the Harn House while giving a tour.
8. Open/close doors
9. Lock/unlock historic buildings
10. Get the mail out of the mailbox while pulling into my driveway.
11. Dial my cell phone.
12. Carry heavier objects.
13. Eat

Needless to say, I hope it feels better soon. Unfortunately, Dr. Google hasn't provided me with a very good prognosis. SO unfair to have 'tennis elbow' when I don't play.

Wise Words on Facebook

This morning, a young lady I recently met at a youth conference (Grand Assembly) posted this:

“A wise girl kisses but doesn’t love, listens but doesn’t believe, and leaves before she is left.” 

I don't know this young lady well as she was visiting Oklahoma from Illinois for just a brief weekend, so I don't know what life experiences prompted her to share that. My first thought upon reading it was “Why the heck didn’t I live my life that way at 16? (Or even 20?) I could have saved myself a lot of grief. But the more I thought about it (and yes, I can overthink even the smallest posts on Facebook if I let myself), the more I realized that I wasn’t really sorry for any of my teenaged (or early twenty-something) mistakes because each one taught me something, changed me a little bit, and made me who I am now.

Later today, another friend of mine posted quite a different quote on Facebook. I've known this friend for quite a bit longer and I know she is posting this as a woman in her 60’s who has been a mother, and now a grandmother. Who has struggled with health issues. Who has buried a teenaged nephew, her husband, and most recently her brother. She, who has had her heart broken many times over life's events might also advise caution in giving your heart away. But she didn't. Instead, she posted this:

“The risk of love is loss, and the price of loss is grief. But the pain of grief is only a shadow when compared with the pain of never risking love” ~ Hilary Stanton Zunin

And I smiled to myself and said, “Now that’s more like it!

Um...Is This Thing On?

It's rare that more than 15 minutes of spare time coincide with a decent Internet connection at my house, so I thought I would seize the opportunity and update this blog:

It's been a crazy, busy time between all the end-of-school-year activity for both my own kids and classes taking field trips at work. Add in the annual trip to Grand Assembly (which I guess should be glad moved from Stillwater to Norman about 10 years ago) and a major grant due on June the 1st and you have all my excuses for not updating recently. But that hasn't meant I've lacked for inspiration. I would have liked to have written about my boy finishing elementary school and how scared I am for him to start middle school in the Fall. I would have liked to have written about seeing my gorgeous daughter get up on that stage at the Catlett Center and sing in front of 200 people like it was no big deal, and sound beautiful while she did it. I would have liked to have written about how being Mother Advisor and being a part of Norman Assembly after 19 years is worth every minute I spend doing it. I would have liked to have written about my "baby" Elisa turning seven. And most recently, I would have liked to have expressed my utter shock at being made Executive Director at the same place I once worked for free as a student intern.

And with the summer months upon us, the school year over, and the big grant deadlines in my rearview mirror; I still just might...

39 Things I've Learned about Myself and the World

I hear Blogger has been eating posts and giving people who blog regularly fits, so I guess it's just as well I've been too busy to update recently. Between the museum's biggest educational event of the year (Land Run) and its biggest (and only) fundraiser party happening within 2 weeks of each other, my "little cold" also turned into bronchitis and required some intervention which came in the form of Dave dragging me to the minor emergency clinic last Sunday. Actually, I went willingly because when Dave says something is wrong, it usually is. Anyway, I've been pretty busy.

But I got through all of it and feel very proud of what was accomplished at work. And somewhere along the way, I also turned 39, celebrated Mother's Day, and got an upgraded iPhone and a new wireless printer from my family for those milestones. So it's safe to say that life is busy, but it's also very good. I'm pretty sure most people would save their "things I've learned" milestone post for their milestone birthday; but I'm going to do it a year early. It may be outside the norm, but I've always been told I'm not normal. And besides, I may not be able to think of 39 things to put on this list; much less 40 if I wait another year.

1. The only thing I've ever learned from someone who has taken it upon themselves to 'teach me a lesson' is: What a jerk! No matter how wrong I may be and no matter how right they may be, I get too caught up in the rudeness of the way the lesson was presented to actually learn anything except not to trust whoever took it upon themselves to "school" me. 
2. When you lose my trust, you've lost it. Period. (See above)
3. Life isn't fair, but karma (and/or its Christian equivalent) works if you just give it time.
4. I LOVE the Muppets and the world is a slightly better place for having had Jim Henson as a part of it. May he rest in peace.
5. You can ALWAYS go home again.
6. "Jesus loves me" and I love my Namaw for teaching me to sing that.
7. God loves me too-even if I will always struggle to believe that fully.
8. Apparently, I give off a bit of a stand-offish air when meeting new people. I used to try to curtail it, but as easily as my feelings get hurt; I've decided to go with it since it's my only defense from being heart-broken on a daily basis.
9. I may not be a 'born-leader,' but I can be an effective boss when given the opportunity.
10. The Nike commercial in college was right: "It's never too late to have a life and it's never too late to change one."
11. I was right to want a lot of kids. My only regrets are the endless piles of laundry and the endless dishwasher cycles. But in the grand scheme of things, I'll take it.
12. It turns out OU football isn't nearly as "dumb" as I thought it was when I was a teenager.
13. I'm still not much of a pro-sports fan, though.
14. It's better to know straight up that people don't like you than trying to bend over backwards in futile attempts to please them. (It's also a relief to know that it wasn't "just my imagination.")
15. In a similar vein, as sad as it may be, sometimes it's OK to cut people out of your life whose bad attitudes, continual disapproval, and uncooperativeness are having an adverse effect on your day-to-day life. For someone who has always been all about second chances and then some, this was a hard but ultimately gratifying lesson to learn.
16. Cancer sucks
17. So do heart attacks, strokes, car accidents, manic-depressive suicides and other things that cause you to drop dead out of the blue.
18. Death is not an enemy and is often a great relief to those who experience it, but it can be really lonely for the ones they leave behind no matter how strong their faith may be.
19. The bigger the hurry, the bigger the traffic jam
20. I can cook, but I will never be Martha Stewart
21. I can clean, but my house will never be worthy of a Candice Olsen design
22. I can drive, but I still come in last at the Andy Alligator go-karts
23. I am an awesome teacher and have gotten almost as good with the 12 and under crowd as I have always been with the 12 and over crowd.
24. Having 5 extremely bright and talented kids is a lot more exhausting than it is brag-worthy.
25. But I'm still proud of them.
26. The only thing better than still having most of the same friends for the last 25 years is having their wonderful spouses as friends now too.
27. Myrtle lodge dances are still a lot of fun, and as a bonus, a very inexpensive date night for mom and dad.
28. Civic Center season tickets may not be as inexpensive, but they also make for a good date night and are worth the money.
29. I love to travel, someday I will get to do a lot more of it.
30. I love to write, someday I really want to do something with it.
31. I love where my life is right now though, and I'm more OK with the "someday's" than I've ever been.
32. Some of the best TV shows I ever watched: Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, Little House on the Prairie, You Can't Do That on Television, Degrassi both in its 80's incarnation and in the first few seasons of the current series before its shark jump a few years ago, Moonlighting (until it got stupid), Thirtysomething, Roseanne, Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, That 70's Show, BSG, The West Wing, Friday Night Lights, and, most recently, Parenthood.
33. Some of my all-time favorite movies: The Muppet Movie, the Star Wars movies, anything directed by John Hughes (with special props to The Breakfast Club and She's Having a Baby), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Fisher King, The Big Chill, and any movie adaptation of any musical ever to grace a Broadway stage-how's that for cheating?
34. Favorite songs: "You Wear it Well" by Rod Stewart, "Woman" by John Lennon, "Only the Good Die Young" by Billy Joel and "The Rainbow Connection." (I'd list all the Broadway songs too, but we'd be here all night.)
35. Favorite Broadway Shows: Les Mis, The Lion King, RENT, Mamma Mia, Kiss Me Kate, and Oliver! (also the first one I ever saw)
36. Favorite Books: The Anne of Green Gables series, A Little Princess, The Secret Garden, Gone with the Wind, Greek mythology, the Harry Potter series, Crime and Punishment, The Prince of Tides, The Return of the Soldier, anything by James Joyce, and I will admit to enjoying both the Twilight series and the Hunger Games trilogy though I haven't really developed a cult-like attachment to either set of books.
37. Best vacations: Any of my childhood visits to Oregon/Washington, teenaged visits to Tucson, the Camp Fire girls' trip to Colorado, the cross-country trip with my Dad that included a stop at Mammoth Caves, KY and Philadelphia to see Aunt Kathy, the first "family vacation" I took with Dave and Baby Natalie to Washington DC to see the Star Wars exhibit with a stop to meet his grandparents on the way home in Tennessee, any and all trips to St. Pete Beach, FL, the WDW vacation with Natalie, Juliet, and Victoria, the bachelorette party cruise to Mexico, FRED: Lake Tahoe, and, while not on vacation, I will never forget the first time I saw Venice, Italy.
38. Proudest Life Moments: My solo in the 4th grade play (I probably still remember the words), getting elected Faith and ultimately becoming Worthy Advisor of Norman Rainbow, being one of the youngest Senior Counselors at Camp Can Ya Ta (because my mom worked there, but still...), my Grand Officer year, successfully completing my mission to Italy (because let me tell you, that was NOT easy-first glimpses of Venice aside), giving birth to my oldest in the old-fashioned way after she got stuck during delivery and everyone told me I would HAVE to get a c-section (of course, all the OR's were full and I didn't have a lot of choice-but no one seemed really sure I could do it anyway and I DID!), getting a Master's degree while raising four kids, having the guts to go seek closure in a few unresolved life issues that needed it, watching my kids excel on stage, being installed as Norman Rainbow's Mother Advisor, being named Interim Director of the museum
39. Life isn't easy, life isn't fair, but overall it's been very, very good to me.

Wordless Wednesday: Mrs G. Meets the Lieutenant Governor

They Really Meant It

About 25 years ago, when I joined Rainbow girls, I heard two things on the night of my initiation: "You get out of it what you put into it" and "You are making friends for life." They told me these girls, most of whom I had never seen before, were my sisters. And they told me the DeMolay boys I would meet at subsequent dances and other activities were my brothers. (Though I hope they didn't mean it literally because I sure kissed my fair share of them.) Since then, I've had many occasions to reflect on the truth of those statements, and I've often blogged about them here. So, I would be remiss if I didn't share the most recent one.

One of the reason's that I was bumped up to Interim Director at work is because I'm the only staff member left who has a lot of experience with our annual programming activities, even if that prior experience was not so much being in charge of things as it was being a part of them. The yearly Land Run event is one of our biggest educational programs and brings about 1000 kids through the museum in one week. It requires a lot of advanced organization and planning and I've been working on it diligently and with more than a small amount of terror since before the first of this year.

It is happening this week and our first day was yesterday. Of course, this is the same week that I also have a raging cold this week (as I may have mentioned in a previous post), our copy machine went out, we are two weeks away from our big annual fundraiser, and any property made up of 10 acres or so is always going to have its own set of problems that demand immediate attention no matter what is happening. Throw in 200-300 kids, teachers, and parents to the mix; and you have my life for this week. Not to mention my own 5 kids and all their contests, meetings, and field trips this week.

Needless to say, when we kicked off the event yesterday; my stress level was high. As I was showing volunteers how to run their teaching areas, making sure teachers and students found the check-in desk, and trying to get my car moved from the regular lot to a smaller lot (where I had left it when I arrived two hours earlier); I wished there were two of me because I knew I would never get it all done before our 10 a.m. start time. I was about to pull my hair out when Chris arrived. She had always been on the volunteer schedule for the day and because I had an extra volunteer in one of the areas I had planned for her; she became my runner that day instead. I am so much more comfortable taking orders from her, but it was nice to have her there to take them from me yesterday. And just as I knew her presence in the hospital room would help me keep my cool when my oldest daughter was born, having her there yesterday for one of the most intimidating days of professional life had the same effect. Thanks Chris! Love you!

The only real hitch yesterday was that in the morning set-up chaos, the sound system people dropped the equipment off and set it up and then left because they couldn't find me to show me how to use it. (There are 10 acres, we rent from them every year, and I doubt they knew that this would be the first time I ever touched it.) I managed to gather all 200 kids to the sound of my raspy voice to tell them the rules and get the programming started and I thought I would have enough time to figure it out before we really needed it at high noon when the kids do a mock run and break for lunch. Until I made my way over to it and saw it covered with more knobs and buttons than any piece of equipment could possibly need. I knew I was in over my head, and I imagined trying to do what needed doing without it. My throat still hurt from the morning announcements and I didn't like that idea too much. But I didn't panic for long.

Almost simultaneously, both Chris and I thought of one of our DeMolay "brothers" who runs a sideline DJ business-something that got its start when he used to bring his stuff from home for our youth dances. We've been friends since high school and share the same birthdate and year which means we actually call each other "sis" and "bro" even though we aren't related and hadn't had the chance to chat that often until I took over as Mother Advisor for Norman Rainbow just over a year ago. I didn't know his cell number offhand, but Facebook on the iPhone is a wonderful thing!

The original plan was for me to text him pictures and have him talk me through the set-up, but ultimately he wound up driving 20 minutes to the museum to show me personally. It took him about 5 minutes to have it up and running, and just in time because I heard him say "testing" just as the kids started lining up to run. When the Sheriff's deputy shot off his pistol and the kids took off (the highlight of each Land Run day) on my first day of 'running the whole show', I had Chris on one side of me and Travis on the other. And few things in my crazy adult life of late have felt so very 'right.' It was a great day and I'm so glad to have so many of the people who meant so much to my in my youth still be such a big part of my life today. (And I'm also glad my husband was able to take time off on Thursday and Friday so he can share Land Run with me too.)

I work very hard as the Interim Director because, once upon a time, I was taught to work hard as a Rainbow girl. And I like to think that the wonderful help I had yesterday was a result of all that I once put into that youth order-and am putting in now as an adult advisor. And while not everyone turned out to be a "friend for life," the good ones did. And I am grateful.

It May Be Time to Blog When...

you aren't 100% sure what your login info is anymore. Fortunately, I figured it out. It was a busy couple of weeks around here. Not only are we in the middle of our busiest season at work, the kids just completed this year's Sooner Showcase with all of the accompanying rehearsals/drama leading up to it last weekend. I wish I could write a long series of posts detailing all the highs and lows, but a list will have to do with fingers crossed that I will have time to do better over the weekend. But obviously, no promises...

• The kids did two shows. During the first one, I was front and center and VERY proud. I can't believe how much Natalie has changed since we discovered Sooner Theatre classes back in the 4th grade. I got very emotional seeing how quickly all my children were growing. The summer I brought Elisa home from the hospital was the longest of my life with a newborn, a 2 year-old, a 4 year-old, and a 6 year-old. I thought nothing would EVER get easier and that time went SO. VERY. SLOWLY. Now I can't make it stop, and I wish I could.
• The second show I watched from the balcony while simultaneously texting the event staff through a crisis at work (or so they thought) and chaperoning Tristan and Caroline's class between their performance and the Finale. I was so busy with what I was supposed to be doing up there, that on the rare moments I did get to look down onto the stage; everything seemed so far. In some ways, I could see much more of the show, but it was so distant. And I wondered if that is what it's like for people who watch things happening from heaven. I thought about Dave's mother and Aunt Marguerite and how much I wish they could have really known my children and that my children knew them. And then I would get another pointless text from the event staff...
• Why yes, I was quite the ray of sunshine last weekend. Thanks for noticing.
• In addition to the show, Natalie had the chance to sing for several of my old friends and one of my honorary "dads" at a fundraiser last night. Their proud faces may not completely make up for the ones who are missing out on her life, but they definitely help.
• The lady who booted Tristan out of her pre-school called to reserve a field trip at work today. She's come with her classes before when I worked as a part-time assistant and we've always been polite with one another. But honestly? I kind of enjoyed giving her my name and telling her I was the "Interim Director" now.
• Truth be told, her students always behave perfectly, she is very professional, and I really am looking forward to their visit later this summer. It will make up for all the other crazy groups already scheduled.
• On a related note, since when did I become too mature to enjoy a good gloat?
• Not today because I really was grinning in a big way when I returned her call and gave her my job title.
• Also, I had her leave a message while I was eating lunch instead of taking her call immediately.
• So maybe I'm not completely grown up yet.
• Thank goodness.

A Couple Reviews

Last night Dave and I went to see the Sooner Theatre production of the musical version of The Wedding Singer. I knew they would put on a great show and they did. I love me some broadway musicals and the sooner actors are outstanding. But, that said, is it bad that I missed Adam Sandler, the "Love Stinks" number, and I really missed hearing the line: "Once again, things that could've been brought to my attention YESTERDAY!" But I did think this Julia's hair was much more '80's than Drew Barrymore's was in the movie and I loved the costumes-I had hair and owned dresses like that. Anyway, it was a cute show and I did find some new songs for the iPod.


The night before that, we rented TRON: Legacy. I thought I really wanted to see this in theatres, but it didn't last long enough in IMAX for me to see it and if I wasn't having the IMAX experience, I decided I would rather wait and rent it. It was pretty good, though there were bothersome holes in the plot and Jeff Bridges seemed to be channeling "the Dude" a lot more than the actual character he was reprising in TRON. But it was still a nice way to spend Friday night with my family and I'm sorry I missed seeing those special effects in an IMAX theatre.


Sorry for the light blogging, the kids' showcase is this weekend, Land Run is two weeks away, and have I mentioned I'm running this museum now? Anyway, I'll check in when I can. Thanks for still reading.

How Did I Get Here?

As I alluded in one post and announced in a later one, I was named Interim Executive Director at work about a month ago following my boss' unexpected departure at the end of January. And what a month it has been since then! I always knew my bosses were busy, but I really had no idea. I have a co-worker who has to remind me to eat at least twice a week and while it looks like all that I do is sit at my desk all day, the reality is that I get stuck there returning emails and phone calls and racing grant deadlines to the point that I am desperate to get out and help weed a garden, set up or clean up a field trip area, and I'm very sad when I think of all the school groups I won't be teaching this spring because an Executive Director, even an Interim, has other responsibilities most of the time.

But here's the surprising thing...I'm good at this. No, really. I am running a museum and while it is a lot of work, I really do know what I'm doing and my instincts have been good even when I'm not 100% sure. When I started this blog, it was to cope with getting through grad school where my best hope (or so I thought) was for a paid teaching slot or collections position. When I took my first job in 2007, it was for pennies over minimum wage and even then it was only part-time. I never aspired to more, because at first I thought it was too much to ask for or expect. But then I got older, grew even more, and heard that great quote about how most people don't succeed because they ask themselves "who am I to be great?" instead "who am I NOT to be?"

Once upon a time, I was an insecure little girl who was largely ignored by her mother because my birth apparently screwed up her plans for herself. This made it easy for me to fall prey to a string of young men with varying intentions who could lead me around by the nose because I let them. Before I knew it, all my decisions stemmed from either what I felt was family or religious obligations and I wondered if I ever have any say in my own life. It turns out, all I had to do was speak up and believe that someone was going to listen. Not that this happened overnight, it was a process that involved not only fulfilling the requirements for a Master's Degree in Museum Studies; but also a series of events in my life that required me to grow to a point that I was emotionally competent to handle this job as well. There were milestones all along the way, that only in retrospect do I realize were vital in the process and most of them have very little to do with my college education at all. Being PTA President and running a museum? Not dissimilar at all. Being incredibly unpopular with certain people in my personal life really helped me grow skin thick enough not to be hurt by every negative comment that comes my way from a dissatisfied customer. (Although, I can only think of one or two since the first of the year.) I see now that it's all part of the path that brought me not only what I wanted, but  even beyond that to what I didn't used to think I was good enough to have.

This is not to say that I don't struggle with the balance between work and family, I'm not sure we ever find that. I also acknowledge that when the fiscal year ends, the museum may choose someone else to put into the permanent Director position-or that I will even want it to take it if it's offered to me. (It is A LOT of work and my kids won't be young forever.) What I do know and will always know from this point forward is that I'm qualified and able to do the job. That I'm a person worthy of respect who doesn't have to defend her choices or her words to those who don't approve. We can just agree to disagree and let it go. And that was all I ever really wanted to know and to be sure of in the first place.

And because I do love me some quotes, here are two that have really spoken to me in the last month about the who I am and where my life is right now:

The first one I've used before during my last year as PTA President, but it's still inspiring to me and certainly applies:

"It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it.  Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well. " ~ Albus Dumbledore


And now, my new favorite:

“You know, it’s funny, I’ve won alot of trophies before...but I’ve always felt like the girl who never gets the brass ring. And maybe I never will. But today...the way you guys believed in me and took a chance with me. All I’ve ever wanted was to feel special and to feel chosen and I just, um, I wanted to thank you guys so much for giving me that. That’s all.” ~Rachel Berry


And I couldn't have said it better than she did.

How Did I Let that Happen?

It's been almost a week since my last post. I do have the usual busy/kids/job excuses, but there have been so many good things about this week; that I hate to let it end without some updates. So, here are the highlights of my week (in no particular order because my brain doesn't work like that):

• My one and only son FINALLY got seen for an evaluation to see what it is that makes coping so difficult for him. We have no results yet, but at least we got the ball rolling.
• One of my oldest and dearest friends finally became a mommy. I saw her Tuesday morning on the way to work, but her little man was busy with the pediatrician so I finally saw him yesterday. He is precious and perfect and already very smart. I know he didn't do much more than sleep in my arms and fuss a little, but I've had 5 kids and I know these things. He's going to have the sweetness of his daddy and him mommy's genius and Aunt Melessa is going to dote on him. It's so much more fun to be the aunt. :) Just ask the nieces and nephews who spend any amount of time with me how awesome I am. (Well, maybe don't ask the 5 year-old nephew, I do lose my cool when he talks back to his mother in front of me. But otherwise, I'm a cool aunt.)
• I wrote and submitted a $100,000 grant application for work. This grant is extremely competitive, but I feel like failure to apply each year might send the message that we are no longer interested in the money. So, I spent most of the week focused on it even though actually getting it is quite a long-shot. I also attended two meetings on Tuesday and two on Wednesday. My arrival at home for both those nights was around 9 p.m. But good things were accomplished both days.
• I managed to get the grocery shopping done on Thursday in time to fix dinner AND watch Grey's Anatomy. (*Little known fact-I was in a VERY bad car accident while pregnant with my oldest. Obviously, things worked out fine, but I think I will be skipping next week's episode. I had some PTSD just watching the previews.)
• On Friday, I took some of the kids shoe shopping. No surprise that Caroline picked the priciest shoes and said the following before her sister and I finished picking out ours: "Can we leave now? I've got everything that I need!" (Lanie, you may have just had your first baby-but I must have somehow agreed to a surrogacy 9 years ago for you, because that girl is so much more yours than mine.) Of course, she also got the Kiwanis Terrific Kid award this week for "Friendly," so her heart is in the right place even if she is, in her own words, "a very expensive girl."
• Next week I have a half-day of training, another grant due (one we usually get), all the low-priority messages I didn't have time to reply to last week while writing the other grant, not to mention two field trip groups. I had to quit looking at the work calendar today because it was making my head spin. Why did I want the Interim Director job again? Because, let me tell you, no one ever calls to "talk to the person in charge" because they're in a good mood and just want to shoot the breeze for a few minutes. At least there are no meetings this week?
• My babysitter was late on Thursday and Friday which also made me late for work on Thursday and Friday. :( I'm hoping for better things tomorrow. And a much less eventful work week.
• Keep your fingers crossed for me, OK? I hope to post more this week! And for those of you who still read this thing? Thanks for not giving up on me. Someday I'll find the balance in everything. At least, I really hope so...

I Was Wrong

Spring Break is flying by just as fast as it does every year. But, the 13 year-old is having a blast on her little adventure and she will be home the day after tomorrow. And my house is cleaner than it's been in awhile. All in all, I'd call that a win.

I Hope Tomorrow is Rainy

There is a funny series of scenes in the first season of Gilmore Girls where Lorelai realizes that every nice outfit she owns is either dirty or locked up at the dry cleaners on Rory’s first morning at Chilton. To cover, she wears a nice trench coat over a t-shirt, a pair of Daisy Dukes, and some dress boots. (And, of course, her mother outed her in front of the principal. Not unlike something my own mother would do, come to think of it.)

As the museum’s new Interim Director, I have my first Executive Committee meeting tomorrow as well as some important community group meetings on Wednesday and Thursday. As a mom of 5, I own nothing that would be locked up at the dry cleaners; but all my dress outfits are in the dirty clothes pile.

This means I have to be up by 6 a.m. starting the laundry so that an acceptable outfit will be ready when I leave for work at 8. Unfortunately, I’ve developed quite a talent for hitting the snooze button in my sleep. I will be moving my alarm out of arm’s reach. And I also have my very nice trench coat hanging right by the front door. *Just in case.* (And I won't have my mom at any of the meetings, that will help too.)

Week In Review

Remember these? Remember when I used to blog faithfully? I'm hoping that by getting back into regular routines like the Week In Review, I will get better about updating here. (Keeping in mind that I had meetings every night last week and that even though I had some good ideas for posts, I just didn't have the time to write them.)

Reading-


Jurassic Park


It was a 'book club' assignment. (I use that term loosely as it's more of a 'friends who decided to read the same book' than an actual club.) But, I really liked it. I imagine that the movie was a bit of a disappointment to fans of the book and, since I really enjoyed that movie, I'm glad that: a)I saw it first and b)  that it had been years since I had seen it. I definitely like the movie version of John Hammond much, much better and I wish that more of Dr. Malcolm's comments had been moved into the movie script because they were some of my favorite reading in the book. Probably the most amusing thing about reading the book is that I would only read the 'scary dinosaur parts' during the day and not before bed lest I scare myself. I still had some pretty vivid dreams in and around the time I was reading the book, though. So it was probably for the best that I did that. There is much more I could say, but I do not like giving more than mild spoilers here and I should probably save it for the 'book club' discussion.

The Hobbit


I love, love, love this book and was really excited to be able to share it with my kids over the last month. They really enjoyed it too. I am a little curious about how the movie is going to go with most of Peter Jackson's casting centering around characters who are not in The Hobbit or just have cameos. But you know we will go see it anyway. Not that it will ever be as beloved by me as the Rankin/Bass cartoon that my dad used to take me to see at the Norman Public Library in the days before VCR's, but I'm sure it will be good. As far as the books go, I am very impressed that I managed to read the final chapters with the kids without crying. During the rougher parts of my mission, I found myself alternating between Dorothy's clicking her heels together to the tune of "there's no place like home" or Bilbo's chanted list of things he loved although 'eggs, bacon, and a good pipe' never made MY list. Still, this book has been special to me since Favorite Uncle Bob sent it to me for Christmas when I was about 11 and it was nice to finally share it with my kids.

Watching


The DVR has 19 Kids and Counting, Glee, Parenthood, and Grey's just waiting for me to have time to watch them...

At the Movies?


Not this week

Extracurricular Activities:


This week's activities included my very first OKC Thunder game, a work-related board meeting, a Primary Presidency meeting/Valiant girls activity, a district-wide Initiation for IORG that brought in two more girls to the assembly, my sister and my grandmother's birthday, parent/teacher conferences, a church potluck (no complaints about that one, I love those!) co-hostessing a baby shower for one of my closest friends, and a show at the Civic Center. Which explains why there was no time to blog. You already know what came of Tuesday's board meeting and I'll spare you the family party details and just say a few things about the bigger activities of the weekend:

OKC Thunder-It was really fun. I had NO IDEA how much the team gives back to the community. And while I liked it, I think I like college games a little bit better and I have no idea why as they aren't nearly as glitzy and exciting. Or maybe, that is EXACTLY why.

Lanie's Shower-In spite of jokes about tacky games, door prizes, and hostess tactics; my friends and I can actually throw a very classy party. I'm SO excited for Lanie and her new baby boy...it won't be long now! (And if I ever get on this blog and lament my lack of supportive family, please remind me that no matter what shenanigans my mother comes up with *and she was in rare form this week* that I will always have Chris, Wendy, Lanie, and Jen and that our lack of a blood ties make NO difference at all. Love you girls!)

Beauty and the Beast at the Civic Center-It was my 6 year-old's turn to go to the show with Mom and we had a lovely time. She was the perfect age to sit through the show without getting too restless and to LOVE the story too. I noticed that it's been tweaked a bit since I saw it in Tulsa in 1999 and even a little bit since Caroline and Elisa were in the junior version at Sooner Theatre the summer before last, but they are good changes and it's still my all-time favorite Disneyfied fairy tale. I did miss the song between Belle and her Dad, though. Oh well...it's still on Pandora, right?
*And no worries, there are two shows coming up before the end of the season that Dave will actually get to see with me. Not that he minded giving his little girl this ticket at all.

That's all I have time for tonight! Here's to a good week for those of you who haven't given up on me ever posting here again!