Wednesday's Whinings May 26, 2010

I was on vacation last week, and there is NO whining allowed on vacation.

This Wednesday, the only thing I really can think of to whine about is that while I was waiting at the bus stop this morning for a tardy bus…I had sweat rolling down my back. Not my favorite thing. And I was really going to whine about it.

Until I got to work and found out that one of our church members who has been fighting with cancer lost that battle this morning. How can I whine about the heat when a precious family has been so devastated by loss? Two little girls who are 5 and 7 have lost their Mother. Their father has lost his wife. Their grandparents have lost a beloved daughter. She was a wife, a mother, a daughter, a teacher and a friend. Many, many people will find a void in their lives with the loss of Mindy McCann.

No, I don’t think I’ll whine today. I believe that I will be thankful for every drop of sweat that rolls down my back. And I will pray for God’s comfort and peace to surround the family of one remarkable woman who entered into His very presence today.

The Awful Ugly Truth about Rocket Man

My darling husband, a.k.a. Rocket Man, does not read blogs. He especially doesn’t read mine, unless I copy it in a word document and email it to him with some pithy comment in the subject line that might make his blood run cold. Maybe something like ‘Here is what I posted about you on the World Wide Web today’.

Having read those posts, he has begged me to write something that he feels is closer to the truth. He thinks I’m too kind. I think he is silly. Personally, I don’t know what he’s talking about, but I decided to think on it and see if I could come up with a few things about him that he might find closer to the way he sees himself than the way I see him.

So, here it is. The Awful Ugly Truth about The Rocket Man.

Well….he is an engineer. A cute one, but he is an engineer to the core. He is very comfortable in a world of spread sheets, numbers, formulas and data. The man thrives on data. He needs input. He’s not so big on feelings. Or, as he says, ‘feeeeeeeeelings.’ The endearing thing about him is that he can laugh at himself and his ‘engineerial’ inclinations. For example, when we were still in that pre-courting stage of bumping into each other at events and spending all our time with each other at the event…but not really dating, we were at a Halloween party. It was a costume party. He had on a white shirt with a pocket protector, a tie that was too short, his pants pinned up to be high-waters, a slide rule tie tack and duct tape on his glasses. Oh, he had on white socks with his loafers. I saw him and burst into giggles. He came as a geeky engineer! Anyone who can laugh at themselves is a winner to me.

More Awful Ugly Truth about him is that he is male. He is 100% prime beef-cake, scratchin', spittin' man. If he has a feminine side, it is me and the only time he is in touch with it is when he is touching me. Being all male, there are certain things that he does that are just plain awful and ugly. Nasty things. He leaves the seat (and occasionally the lid) to the toilet up. He drinks milk and coke straight from the bottle. He thinks that my hope chest, which we use as a coffee table, is an acceptable place to put stinky, greasy car parts while he works on them. He does not, however, leave his clothes on the floor. EVER. He takes them off and puts them in the hamper or stuffs them back in the drawer if he intends to wear them again.

He does have one other seemingly male trait that could be considered an Awful Ugly Truth. He has an ongoing and serious love affair with the remote control to the television. My competition is not another woman. It is that blasted remote control (and the television). I believe that there is no activity known to man that he enjoys more (well…okay! Maybe one or two activities) than he enjoys clicking the channel up and channel down buttons on the remote control. The joy! The satisfaction! The utter bliss! So many sports channels…the Speed Channel…the Military Channel…the Outdoor channel. Top Gear, The War, The NEWS…we watch it all. The last thing at night is usually Sports Center, which we will then watch again first thing the next morning. Because you just never know what might have happened in the world of sports overnight. Inquiring minds WANT to know. My Daddy observed that The Rocket Man would probably watch a well-organized, televised spitting contest. Rocket Man swears that it would have to be competitive before he’d watch it. Leave it to Daddy to cut to the heart of the matter.

Is that enough? Shall I continue? The Rocket Man can be just a wee bit bossy. I’m not saying I’ve observed this myself. One of his friends from work told me that. He came right out and just said, “Ed can be bossy.” Well, Ed is the boss, so I think we can excuse him for that one.

Another Awful Ugly Truth about The Rocket Man is not really his fault. But since he wanted me to lay it all out for my vast audience (all 3 of you who might read this), here goes. He is color blind. Doesn’t see reds or greens. We had been keeping company for quite some time when he gazed into my eyes and whispered ever so sweetly, “You have the most beautiful brown eyes.” Say what? My eyes are on the green side of hazel. I like them that way. Consequently, one of my jobs in the household is to cover anything that has to do with color. Recently, we were looking for some fabric to have his office chair re-upholstered. The frame of the chair was being painted black and he wanted the seat and back to be red (he’s a Georgia Bulldog Football fan). So there I was, looking at red fabric. I found some and he asked me if it were really red. I cocked my head at him, and said, “Really?” He offered to go back to the car to get a jersey that was, he believed, red and black to match the color. Really??? I asked if there was a problem? Didn’t he trust me? I just threw it out there…”Hey, Rocket Genius—er, Man! Guess what? I’m NOT colorblind.” He promptly bought the red fabric.

The very last Awful Ugly Truth is this. He has Central Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). Oddly enough, so does my oldest grandson. The two are not blood related, but are ever so much alike in some wonderful ways. Anyway, when I took the lad to be tested and was given this diagnosis, I called to let The Rocket Man know the results. I was telling him some of the information that the nice testing lady had given to me. He stopped me and said, “Molli, I know all of that. I have Auditory Processing Disorder.” WHAT? This was in about our 8th year of marriage. All the sudden, so many scenes came rushing before my eyes. I felt a bit faint. The ensuing conversation went somewhat like this:

Me: (with skepticism) You mean all the times I’ve asked you to do things and you haven’t done them…you weren’t just blowing me off? There was some sort of disorder that made you ignore me?

Rocket Man: (aghast) Molli! I would NEVER blow you off. Really? There are times I haven’t done things you asked? I’m so sorry!

Me: How is it that this has never come up in conversation? I’d think that somewhere along the line, you might have mentioned it. Said something like: “Hey, Molli…did I tell you that I have APD and that while it might appear that I’m blowing you off, it is more likely that there is a breakdown in my neurons and the information, even though I repeat it, doesn’t quite make it to the part of my brain that translates and helps me do what I’ve just heard?”

Rocket Man: Oh. Golly, Molli. I thought you knew.

Oh, the things you find out about someone after you’ve been married to them for almost a decade!

So, there you have it. The Awful Ugly Truth about Rocket Man. The most amazing, loving, funny, happy, caring, warm, loyal, faithful, honest, hardworking, creative talking, engineer of a guy I know, who just happens to be the object of my affections. I think he’s the most wonderful creature God ever created. He thought you ought to know the Awful Ugly Truth, and now you do!

Thursday's Thankful Thoughts-May 13, 2010

Lots to be Thankful for in MolliWorld today!

We are leaving as soon as we can tomorrow for a week of vacation. We aren't headed off to an exotic or exciting vacation destination. We are, however, going to the place I most long to go in the whole world. We are going home!

That involves 2 stops. Don't tell, because it is a secret, but we plan to spend tomorrow night in the town where I grew up, Kennett, Missouri. I am already tasting Alford's Barbeque and I hope to be first in line at Causbie's bakery on Saturday morning. I want to drive up one street and down the other. I want to walk on the town square, park at my High School, drive by my old house and immerse myself in memories.

From there, we will go to Eldon, Missouri...my other hometown. I never lived there, but my grandparents did and my parents do now. So, I'm going home to my Mother and Daddy's house. Another walk down memory lane as I drive by the house where my grandparent's live, take a drive in the country to see the old places, worship in the church where my grandfather was pastor when I was a child. Sleeping and waking up in my Mother's house with all the wonderful things that I associate with that. Its just a dream come true for me. I can't wait.

Lots and lots to be thankful for! Vacation time. Going home. Spending time in the Jeep alone with Rocket Man. Time with family and old friends. Then, the wonderful feeling of coming back home to our home!

Today, my heart overflows with thanks for the ability of one Rocket Man to take me home and be immersed in my family. Its my birthday gift...and the best one I could have gotten.

Thankful, thankful, thankful! And looking forward to some Alford's. Yum!

Wednesday Whinings-May 12, 2010

First of all, how about that Wednesday Whinings logo! My amazing (and very precious to me) niece, Teri Lynne Underwood came through with that one. Three cheers for Teri Lynne! I love it. {She also designed my blog. You can catch up with her (and she's not a whiner) at Pleasing to You...there is a button on my sidebar.} Thanks, Teri! Love you much!

Oaky....on to the business at hand. Whining.

I feel just like that child today. I have had it and I want to scream. I am really and truly, cross my heart and hope to die, for sure and for certain tired of the allergy season. No fooling! I have sneezed until my stomach hurts and my eyes have been all of the following; itchy, red, swollen, full of gunk and dry. I ingest medications daily to keep it from getting any worse than that. My experience is that I will stop sneezing about the 4th of July.

I also have more things to do than time this week. I’m not a big one to carry on about how busy I am but this week, I’m trying to get things done so I can leave and be gone from work for a week without having to pay the piper when I get back. Does that make any sense? That is just things at work. I have things to do at home (like pack and get ready to leave town on Friday) and I’m flat running out of daylight. So, what do I do to add to the stress? I offer to cook a meal for a family and take it to them tomorrow night.

All of that said, the thing I would whine about today…if I were a whiner…is that I have pooooooorly managed my time and I’m having to pay for it. And, of course, the poooooollen. Its pecaaaaaaan and fescuuuuuue. They make me sneeeeeeeeeeze.

Can’t do anything about the poooooollen except sneeeeeeze and wait it out. Can’t even feel toooooo bad about my own darn poor time management (or procrastination, as some might call it). Its my own doggoooooooone fault.

How ‘bout you? Anyone want to join me in a big, group whiiiiiiine?

Thursday's Thankful Thoughts-May 6, 2010

On this National Day of Prayer, I am thankful for the many sacrifices made by our forefathers to secure a land of freedom, opportunity and plenty for us. We just finished watching the HBO mini-series “John Adams” and I was taken by the personal sacrifices he and his family made to help establish our nation.

I am thankful that my beautiful and academically gifted daughter, Annie, had time between her finals and brought me lunch and spent a few hours with me at work. Those times are precious to me and I am very thankful to spend time with her.

I am thankful that our city was spared the awful destruction of the storms last weekend, and send heartfelt prayers to the communities all around us who suffered great losses.

My last thankful thought today is this: I am thankful for the amazing person who thought to invent air conditioning. It is nearly 90 degrees already and I am so grateful that I spend my days out of the elements.


What things make you thankful today?

Wednesday Whinings,-May 5, 2010

I was stumped yesterday when I considered what my whining was going to be today. I think I thought about something to whine about over the weekend…but I can’t remember. So…I’m going to whine because I can’t always rememberrrrrrr what I want to rememberrrr.

Then, I used my brand new Wii Fit last night for the first time. I can certainly whine about that contraption. First of all….it told me my center of balance was off. No Joke! I have a clinical diagnosis of being ‘offfffffff’ from a well respected Orthopedist in town. He looked at me and said, “Molli! You are just plain off” Thanks a lot, Doc! I have scoliooooooooosis. I have one leg shorrrrrrrrter than the other. Sometimes, I trip and fah-all!

So I don’t need a flipping machine telling me I’m off. Then, it tells me I’m obese and the little Mii character swells up and hangs her head. That made me feeeel so bah-ad. To make it worse, Rocket Man was on the bed behind me laughing at meeeeeee. Or, I should say at Miiiiiiiii.

Then, I did some of the exercises.

I stiinnnk at it.

Now, my back hurrrrrrrrts.

I woke up at 3 am and couldn’t go back to sleeeeeeep.

How ‘bout you? Anything to whine about?


PS
You’ll notice that I STILL don’t have a logo for Wednesday’s Whinings. No more prizes until I have a logo. You know who you are....

Ed & Molli got married and went to The Waffle House

There were lots of things going on in my life 12 years ago. Rocket Man and I were planning to be quietly married on my birthday, which is May 20. We had secured a minister, bought the license, bought rings, had many long conversations with our children about blending our family, and I had given notice at my apartment that I would not continue my lease. I had even bought a cake topper.

We were doing this quietly, planning to be married with only our children present. It was a second marriage for both of us. Rocket Man had custody of his girls, but his ex-wife had sued for custody and we were smack-dab in the middle of the fight of the century. We wanted to keep his girls from being pulled any more than they already were and a quiet wedding just short of eloping seemed the prudent thing to do.

My son had come home from college for the weekend on May 1. We enjoyed a very pleasant evening with our kids on that Friday night. After I went home with my children, the thought came to me that we could go ahead and get married on Saturday. The children were all with us. We had the license.

Why wait?

I got up early and caught up with the Rocket Man, and asked him, ‘Why don’t we go ahead and get married tonight?’ He asked me why we had decided to get married on the 20th and we remembered that it was because he would only have one date to remember instead of two. He said he thought that was a wonderful idea, as long as I wouldn’t be offended that he might occasionally forget the date of our anniversary. I figured that I could remind him in both subtle and not-so-sublte ways, so we called our friend who was going to perform the ceremony and decided to go for it.

We gathered our children and asked them if anyone had plans for the evening. Nobody did. I said, “Want to go to a wedding?” In chorus, they asked, “Whose wedding?” We told them ours and everyone agreed that this was a fine idea. Rocket Man really wanted to take everyone out to get new jeans to wear, but I nixed that. I didn’t mind having a non-traditional wedding, but I didn’t want to get married in jeans. The girls and I went to have our hair done and then my children and I went home to get dressed and ready.

As the sun went down, we executed our plan. Our minister friend met us at our church. Rocket Man had a key to the church, so we let ourselves in and sort of sneaked into the sanctuary. Everyone had a part; lighting the candles, reading scripture, presenting the rings…it was lovely. There in that sanctuary in the very building where we met and fell in love, we united as man and wife.

We said our vows, signed the paperwork and were off to the reception. This is where the story gets funny. Rocket Man had given our 4 children, ages 19, 17, 13 and 9 the task of deciding where we would go to eat after the ceremony. He told them we could go anywhere they chose. He had in mind some very nice restaurant.

Know what they chose? The Waffle House. I'm not joking. They were insistent. The debate was between Waffle House and Dairy Queen. I am so glad they chose The Waffle House, if those were the choices. Ed tried to talk them out of it, but they were united. So, off to the Waffle House they went. Ours may be the only wedding reception in the history of the world that cost less than $50. In fact, I think it was less than $35.

The children went in one car and Rocket Man and I followed. On the way, he earnestly explained to me that he would gladly have gone to the Fogcutter, Green Bottle Grill, or any of the other nice places in town. I told him it didn’t matter. I would enjoy telling this story over and over and over. And, I have. We laughed and giggled our way through dinner.

Every year, on May 2, He gallantly offers to take me anywhere I want to go for dinner. He exact words are, “Where does Molli want to go to eat?” My answer has been, every year but one (we were in Oakland, California that year and we went to an A’s game for our anniversary) has been, “Molli would very much like to eat at The Waffle House.” We laugh and go have a waffle and I thank God for the day he brought such a dear man into my life.

That Rocket Man, Ed Massey, is my husband, my lover, my friend, my favorite human on the planet. He is a wise and loving step-father to my children, a good and kind son-in-law to my parents, a generous and funny Uncle Ed to my nieces and nephews and their children, and an amazing and very loving Granddaddy to my Grandsons. He completes me. We make a formidable team when we work together on anything. He makes me laugh, encorages me, comforts me, protects me, and makes my dreams come true. He is the answer to my prayers, my companion and one of the most amazing blessings I have ever had on earth.

So, on this momentous occasion when we have beaten the odds (second marriages usually dissolve within 7 years, especially if you are trying to blend a family) and are celebrating our 12th anniversary…our Delightful Dozen…I give thanks to God for allowing me to know such a heaven on earth.

I give you my hands
And take your hands in mine
As a symbol and pledge
Of our uniting in one flesh

I give you my love
The outpouring of my heart
As a symbol and pledge
Of our uniting in one spirit

I give you this ring
From out of my worldly goods
As a symbol and pledge
Of our uniting in one family
~our vows upon the exchanging of rings~