bouncing

I just finished bouncing with the family on our trampoline. I always forget how much fun it is until I go flying through the air again, screaming, laughing, and enjoying the time with my children. Thank goodness we purchased the surrounding net, or this mom would have been dead long ago. (Or at least VERY injured.) Every time Dennis bounces very close to me, I involuntarily scream because I know I could very easily loose my balance and take a plunge, which I do quite often, but it still scares me. I remember bouncing on trampolines as a kid and going much higher, but I guess my age has made me more cautious. Of course, I was not that risky of a child anyway, so cautious is probably more of a description of my whole life, but I know I would do tricks while jumping back then, but for now...just to jump is good enough "fun" for me.

I shall leave you with a poem of the joys of a trampoline:

"The Magic Trampoline"

A kid on a trampoline,
All day long to jump and scream
Oh what fun to run and jump ,
Flying higher with each bump .
Inhibitions in a bin ,
Pumping with adrenalin,
I'll break the news to you all ,
Up you go and then free fall .
I went up and I came down .
I touched the sky ,off the ground ,
I saw things not many see
Like a cat up in a tree ,
I had this agility
To land oh so purr-fectly
The soar again with a scream ,
On a magic trampoline .
Its sad but I must announce,
Time to go
So ends the bounce .


By Paul McCann

My perfect family?

I realized something tonight. I was looking at an old photograph of my grandparents and my dad and his sister when my dad was probably in Jr. High. They all had their "Sunday best" on, and I remembered how my Granny always had everything perfectly in place at their home. NO dust, no "dirtiness" anywhere, all clothes perfectly ironed, everyone always looking their best, and not just on Sundays. Then the more I looked at the picture, I thought about how my aunt turned out to be such an "unperfect" child for them and how much grief and heartache she caused and still causes. I thought to myself, "Maybe they tried so much to look perfect on the outside because there was turmoil on the inside they were trying to hide?" I've always thought that families that looked and seemed perfect were hiding something. That when nobody is watching and behind closed doors, it is so different. Hmmm...could it be true? Maybe it's okay that my family doesn't look so perfect. We try to be as real as possible. I think that, after all, is a great thing.

Much to post

Well, much has happened since my last post. I won't tell all, I'm sure, but here are the highlights:

We went camping in the Rocky Mountains for a whole week. In a ghetto camper. Surrounded by elk, ground squirrels, chipmunks and deer. And a rumored bear that we never saw. With an outhouse across the road and flushing toilets about 1/2 mile away uphill to get there, downhill back. (You thought I was going to say uphill both ways, huh?) It was breath-taking. Literally. The air is thin up that high. So here I am huffing and puffing just to go brush my teeth. (sigh) It's times like these that I wish I was about 17 again and stick thin. :) It really was beautiful, and we went with friends, so it was fun getting time with them. The camper was nicer than a tent, and I'm afraid a tent might have blown away a few days there because it was so windy. We went on an uphill hike for about 2 miles, which doesn't seem like much, but when you are only walking uphill for that long in the heat and thinner air, it seems much longer. We made it to our destination--a beautiful waterfall. We took group pictures. We then hit the showers at the YMCA. Of course, I got a headache. It was so bad I ended up throwing up my lunch in the YMCA yard. The kids can now officially say that they have seen me puke. Nice. I was down the rest of the evening and took pain pills every day after "just in case". The rest of the trip was fine other than falling into a frozen lake. I'm fine. Really. Otherwise I wouldn't be typing this update. It was quite funny, really. Ask me about it if you want details. 14 hour drive there and back. I still haven't quite recovered sleep, because as soon as we got home we have been dealing with bad tornado-producing weather almost every night. (sigh)

Today was fantastic as we visited a church in my hometown of Caney, KS. One of my friends from 1st-12th grade is the pastor, and he and his wife planned a cookout at the park with us, their family and two other families, one new to us, the other family is one of my dearest friends from high school and her husband and boys. We had a great time visiting and letting the kids play and get to know each other. I am really hoping to keep in touch with them this time.

Well, Dennis needs the computer. I will try to post again soon.

New member of the family

We have a new member of the family. It resides on my forehead. I need to name it--I guess Pimple will work. I have had it for two weeks now and it refuses to leave. Growing up, I never really had acne problems. I turn 30, and BAM, it's like my skin thinks I'm an adolescent. (sigh) The joys of growing up. I will keep fighting against this new member as it really is not welcome, but if it wins, I will just call it a beauty mark after coloring it with an eye pencil.