Be Still Tuesday...The Gift of Time

"Games are outgrown and toys decay, but he'll never forget if you give him a day." ~Unknown

Two and a half weeks after I turned eight years old, I was awoken one early morning by my stepfather, Doug. I remember feeling a little confused because my mother was always the one to wake me, which usually took several tries. (Dracen comes by it honestly). 

But on this out-of-the-ordinary morning, I recall a sort of magical peacefulness in the air for reasons I was unaware until he spoke the words,  "You have a little brother. Danny Ray is here." He was a whole month early but a healthy baby boy.

That was thirty-four years ago today. (Happy Birthday, Danny!) 

The only thing just as exciting as getting a baby brother was something my mom called maternity leave. I think she only got something like six weeks but I was over the moon because she had always worked outside the home. 

I have precisely two memories from those weeks...

The first time I rode the bus home (it was a different bus since I usually rode a bus to my babysitter's house across town), the bus driver drove right past my house and I, being the extreme introvert that I was, didn't say a word...just kept on riding the bus. The bus was empty and parked before the driver noticed me sitting quietly in the back, staring out the window. I don't remember the details but my mom was notified and I got home somehow. 

The other memory came to mind the other day, just out of the blue, so I thought I'd share it here today...

Just like most kids in the 70's and 80's, I loved playing board games...Monopoly, LIFE, Payday, Sorry, Clue, and a little less well-known one that was right up my girly girl alley, What Shall I Wear? (anybody else remember that one?). I got off the school bus one afternoon during the maternity leave and walked in the back door to be greeted by my mom's smiling face, along with this game set up and ready to play on the kitchen table. 

I felt so extra special and loved in that moment which is no doubt why that particular memory has managed to stay with me for all these years while so many others have been lost with passing time.

Though I didn't know it back then, she was no doubt exhausted and probably feeling a little overwhelmed, just as most mothers are with a new baby in the house, yet she made a conscious choice to give those few precious minutes of her time to me... 

And look what happened. 

Thirty-four years later it remains a treasured memory in my heart which just goes to show that the best gift we can give simply is, was, and always will be that of our time and our presence. 

Can you recall a moment when someone made you feel special by the giving of their time?

Friday Favorites

I don't know what is up with the weather here lately but what the heck happened to spring? It showed up late and then hopped right back on the train, leaving us with way-too-cool temps and a cartload of clouds and rain. My flip flops are starting to lose their patience. 

Maybe Mother Nature is getting senile in her old age because she has clearly forgotten that this is the south. Bless her heart. I guess she'll figure it out eventually. Until then, my flip flops will just have to hold their horses. 

I hope y'all have had a good week. Mine has been pretty uneventful, aside from the two birds that took a notion to fly into my house Wednesday morning. 

The dogs have a very bad habit of pushing back in the house through the two sets of glass doors that lead into the sunroom and kitchen but I haven't been able to teach them to close them back behind them. Li'l Bit came to get me just as I stepped out of the shower Wednesday as if she was trying to tell me something.

So I followed her into the kitchen to see if she wanted out. She obviously didn't since the door was ajar. I closed the door only to turn and see a bird fly into it. A bird that was on my side of the door. I will never know why I'm always in a towel or in the process of getting dressed when things like this happen but this.is.my.life. 

I opened the door and got it to fly out pretty quickly and was on my way back to the bathroom when I heard one flying into the windows in the sunroom. Luckily, Brisco Darling was outside or that bird would have been toast.

Li'l Bit thought about it but backed off when I used my mean voice, and Lucky seemed completely oblivious to the whole ordeal. This one was a little trickier but I  managed to get it to fly out eventually, without losing my towel. Or my mind.  I can't say for sure it doesn't have slight brain damage from the number of times it flew into the window but it did seem to be flying straight when it left.

And I apologize but that's the best I've got for excitement this week. Woot! Now here (if I haven't bored you to sleep) are my favorites for today...

Big Dog, Little Car

This made me giggle.

source

Squirrel Chair

I'm seriously considering doing this

on one of our backyard trees because

what with Brisco Darling of the Squirrel Patrol,

it would no doubt provide endless hours

of free entertainment. 

source

Chick Flick?

This greatly amused me because

as many times as I've seen this movie

over the years, never once did I consider

this perspective.

source

Anthropologie

I love every single thing about this.

Every.single.thing.

Home is where the heart is

This etsy seller customizes these

fun state prints. Very cool. 

Food for Thought

source

Garden Door

I want to go in, don't you?

source

Serenity

I'd never get out of bed.

source

Split Image Top

If summer ever comes this year...

Anthropologie

42

Though I didn't think of it at the time, Devin went to

see this movie with his 8th grade class on an 

after school field trip

 on my 42nd birthday. Not that that has

a hill of beans to do with anything.

I just thought it was a cool coincidence after it

it hit me last weekend when we took

Dracen to see it.  

I did not know much about Jackie Robinson, other than

the fact that he was a great baseball player,

until Devin told us a little about him after the movie,

making me want to see it.

Very impressive man, he was. 

I highly recommend...

Any big plans for the weekend? I've got Silver Linings Playbook from Netflix since I never saw it in the theater and can't wait to watch it!

Happy Friday,

Wiener Wednesday...Italian Fashion

I recently discovered (via The Long and Short of it All) that there is a high end clothing company, Harmont and Blaine, founded in Italy in 1995, with a signature emblem of none other than the fearless Dachsie. Who knew? 

Best I can tell, they don't yet have any stores here in the U.S. but there is one "coming soon" to  Las Vegas.  I scrolled through most of the items on their website. They have a larger selection for men than women and kids although I highly doubt there is any way on God's green earth Charlie or the boys would ever be caught dead in anything of this nature...

I did find many items that I would love to have in my closet, however...

Would it kill that model to crack a smile? I'm just sayin'.

Happy May Day, Y'all!