ode to obama

yes, i could.

*i could be done with SST referral paperwork...and i am. (julie's feelin me)

*i could be finally caught up with grading...and i am. (despite what all you non-educator people think, no...grading is NOT fun. in fact, it f*ing sucks)

*i could be looking forward to wednesday & the rest of the week...and i am. (thank you chucky)

*i could be in a much better "place" this thanksgiving than last...and i am. (reference last year's post...yikes. thanks to good 'ol time, love from family and friends and certain events)

*i could be missing taylor like crazy while she's in pennsylvania with her daddy for the thanksgiving holiday...and i am. (but i got the sweetest phone call from her yesterday. she opened with, "mama, i miss you. that's why i'm calling you because i am thinking of you." my daughter seriously ROCKS.)

*i could be loving my freshly groomed kai-doggie...and i am. (when i went to get her yesterday though, they brought her out and my mouth dropped open. upon seeing my beloved girlfriend, i thought, "oh no they DID-INT!!!" but yes...yes, they DID. they put a *blasted* christmas-looking bow on her collar...my poor kai. no longer sophisticated, but subjected to looking foo-foo. she ripped that thing off in the yard as soon as we got home...no joke.)

*i could be *still* laughing at the fact that kai put down the back window in the honda all by herself so she could do the dog thing & stick her head out to catch the wind...and i am. (i heard the window going down, looked back and saw her paw on the button! immediately called stac to tell him that kai "pulled a marley", then got into a conversation about him, and i quote, "going to the store to buy stuff" and giving advice on turkeys. can i just say that i love my bro?!)

*i could be stoked that OSU won their game against Arizona last night...and i am. (one more game...civil war....and if we win? ROSE BOWL, baby!)

*i could be procastinating in cleaning the house...and i am. tee hee! better get to it.

i love you peeps!!!

proud mama

tay had "jersey day" @ school on thursday. she requested to wear my becks shirt and i whole heartedly granted it:

oh yeah!!! :)

*had* to take a pic to save on my phone

trick-or-treat

getting ready to head out

checking out her loot

AHHH! CANDY!!! i *love* halloween!

trick-or-treating with tay this year was awesome. not that it isn't every year, but this year i got to see her personality shine through in such a natural way. we watched her approach the doors from the sidewalk. after getting warmed up (getting used to going to the door, saying trick-or-treat and opening her bag to receive candy), she did the cutest thing. she began wishing the home owners "happy halloween!" or complimenting them on their decorations with, "i really like your decorations" or "you have some scary decortations!". the home owner would smile or chuckle and either wish her a happy halloween back or thank her for complimenting them on their decorations. we were tickled at seeing tay be tay. so proud of her.

oh, and here's a humorous point in the evening...so her school was having red ribbon week (anti-drug program to encourage kids to refrain from taking drugs). we're walking from one house to the next and she says with a serious face and deliberate voice, "i don't drink alcohol because alcohol is a drug." jonathan and i looked at each other (knowing that it had been red ribbon week), smiled and stiffled our laughs. we then told her we were glad she did not drink alcohol and yes, she was right, it *was* a drug. and then she was off, up the driveway to the next house to get more candy. kids!

new chapter

feelin reflective this morning. still in my pjs, in my bed and thinking about the place i am in right now. things in your life can change so drastically without any kind of notice. good things, bad things, exciting things, tragic things...it can all just occur and you have to deal with it. and, your character is tested with that situation by the way you handle it. often it is so tempting to "press the easy button" and deal with the immediate instead of the underlying. so easy to push things under the carpet. so easy to withdraw. so easy to mask your pain by distracting yourself with other things. at one time or another, we have all taken the "easy" way out...but stopping to face the issue and look at yourself takes a lot of energy and honesty. for the most part, i have been proud of the way i have handled myself this last year and a half. there have been moments in which i have been "human" and let my emotional state guide my behavior instead of thinking about what was best. but, i find comfort in knowing that i have remained true to myself and my values about what is important in life and how i want to live mine out. my integrity is very important to me. at the end of the day when you strip away possessions and accomplishments, it's really all you have. that, and the love you feel for those close to you. don't get me wrong...there are many temptations in life that could knock you off maintaining your integrity at the level you'd like and we are all human to give into those temptations...i know i'm not perfect, nobody is...but it won't stop me from striving to be the best version of me i can be.