Wiped Out By a Wonderful Weekend

     So my weekend is coming to an end.  It was sad to have to leave .... the time flew by all too quickly.  We all had such a fun and relaxing time that it was hard to come home to deal with life and some of the crapola going on ..... or not deal with it, which is sometimes worse.

     But life is full of ups and downs and so it goes.

I'm ready for whatever happens .... or doesn't happen.  I've learned that life is short and the important things need to stay important.  The rest can fall by the wayside.  

I've learned that you never know what to expect from day to day ..... and you either learn to roll with the punches or you let them knock you out.

I refuse to be knocked out.  

I may get irritated, but I'm trying to work on that, too, and not let myself get easily irritated. That lesson started with my Kenya trip ..... and hit in earnest with Jim's death.  I don't always do a good job with it, but I'm trying.  

I'm so very far from perfect .... I make mistakes, I make the wrong decisions sometimes, I don't live up to some expectations (for good or for bad) but I appreciate the people who love and stick by me .... in spite of me.  I appreciate the people who realize that expectations need to go out the window as I need to learn how to live differently .... and who love me and are also learning to live differently ... right along beside me.  

And I appreciate the complete strangers who have become supporters, and more importantly, friends.  

     These have been the worst 16 months of my life ..... and yet, in some ways ..... they have also been the best.  I have seen the best in people ..... and I've seen the worst.  But I've been blessed to have seen mostly the best.  By far.  

I still cannot believe that this is my life .... and I wonder when/if that feeling will go away?  But it no longer paralyzes me ..... most of the time.  That's definitely moving forward.  

I learn new things every day .... about love, about life, about friendship.  

You, my Peeps, have taught me so very much.

As have my children.

And, of course, God.

     So I am back ...... amidst the dust and dog hair that fill my home.  

Martha Stewart would have a coronary.

Oh well.

     My wonderful mom came to stay with the teenager and the horse/dog.  What a gift she and D are to me.  She is always ready to come and stay here ...... she never complains.  At least not to me ..... she may be giving D an ear-full every night, but she always has a smile for me.  :)

Everyone seemed to survive the weekend ..... even the horse/dog ...... who should be totally bald by now.  I can't believe it's physically possible for her to lose handfuls of hair ....... GIANT handfuls, every single day and yet have nary a bald spot.  

I am told it's a "spring thing".  I may have to send her to boarding school next spring.  I wonder where one would find a boarding school for hairy, air clogging shedding horse/dogs?

     So I have some pictures from the weekend to share with you.  I highly recommend this hotel.   You can do so much and never really have to leave the "dome", which, upon retrospect .... might not have been the best idea under the "swine flu" alert.  You know ...... avoid hanging around a lot of people .... especially in enclosed places.  

Ummmmmm, yeah ....... well, we totally disregarded that advice.  Every time one of us sneezed or happened to cough ...... we wondered how long it would be before the first one succumbed.

Of course it would totally stink to get swine flu ..... but if we have to get it ..... I still say it would have been worth it!

I shall keep you posted.  :)

                        This picture is from Friday night .... when Son #1 came to the hotel to visit talk "business" with me (I love this picture):

                  This is a picture of the "whiney bear".  This was my first trip with some of these women and I had to learn the rules (which, I thought, were GREAT rules!):  #1.  No whining ...... or you would be given the bear:

              ...... and #2:  No "catty" remarks, or you would be given the cream pitcher:
Again ..... two great rules.  I personally hate whining ...... but then, what mother doesn't?

The bear, as well as the pitcher, were passed around frequently.  But no one ever maintained possession for long ..... especially the pitcher.  Unlike whining, catty remarks can sometimes be very fun ..... and it was sometimes a contest to see who could come up with the cattiest.  Though it was all said in fun and jest.  

        This was the view from the balcony of one of our rooms (the "party room").    You can see part of the little "river" that ran throughout the hotel, plus parts of a couple of restaurants.  The trees and plants and flowers are all real.  No kidding.

         This is another view, but looking up ..... at part of the dome:

           This is the balcony in the "party room":

                 These are but just a few of the thousands of flowers:

                 This is the center of the dome:

          This is J ..... today was her birthday.  Please note that at the time of the taking of this picture .... she had possession of the "whiney bear".  I do not recall why .... but I don't think it was the only time:

         This is D ----- who also had possession of the bear when I took this picture.  And, as you can see .... she was quite proud of that fact:

          This is C and me at breakfast this morning.  Our room was somewhere up on the 5th floor, in the background of this picture:

       Here is the whole group.  We are a bit tired in this picture, but very happy and relaxed:

We left for Houston soon after this picture was taken.

The drive was much quieter going home than it was on Friday .... heading TO the hotel.  

              Upon arriving home ...... this is what I found:

     Yes, it appears that about 2/3 of the living room has been done.  Interestingly enough, the guys left the house yesterday around 4:00, telling my mom they had to go get more glue and would be back.

Ummmmmmm ..... they have yet to return.

I'm not sure what the did with that glue, but it must've been a bit distracting.

Hopefully they will show up tomorrow morning ..... while I am at work.

Anyway, I like what they've done .... so far.

:)

     Son #3 and I went to church tonight for the annual service where we give prayer and "blessings" to our graduating seniors.  I know quite a few of these kids (or their parents) so it's nice to be there to support them and to "launch" them off in such a positive and uplifting way. I've known many of these kids since they were toddlers.

Man, they're getting old!!!

:)

     Son #2 texted me on and off yesterday ..... he was sick all day (tried to convince me it was the swine flu, but I wasn't buying it.  I did NOT fall off of the turnip truck just yesterday!).  

He was much better today and is getting more and more excited about coming home. 

Me, too.

     OK, I think that's it.  I can barely keep my eyes open .... it's 10:49 p.m.  I'm pooped.

It's very draining to have a weekend of fun and relaxation.

Go figure.

     But again .... totally worth it.  

So worth it that we're talking about making this a yearly event.

Which is great .... except I'd totally vote to make it a monthly event!!!

     Thanks for keeping the discussion question going, my Peeps.

You all did a great job.

     Sleep well and I shall chat with you tomorrow.

That's my plan anyway ..... we shall see what tomorrow brings.

Hasta la vista, Peeps.