Why blog?

Here is what I want to know. Why do you blog?

Is it just to get things out? Just to converse with others in your situation? To write (to yourself), to write (to others)....

What is it that makes you come back to it everyday and type.

I will tell you why I do (kinda).

When I started, it was totally to connect with people in the same situation as me. As a stay at home mom, I felt VERY alone. I started this hoping to connect with people like me but what I found was so much better. Way better!

Because of this here blog, I got a best friend that lives states apart and is a lot different than me. A lot a like me but also a lot different. Our similarities are so close but our differences are so apart. She is really someone I can see being my friend for many years even though we live so far apart. I can go to her with things I can't go to my mom or Benny with and she can come to me with stuff that she can't with her family. It does suck though when your BFF lives 1000 miles away!

Another great friend I have made is so different than the one above but also alike in ways. We are so alike it's almost scary. Our husbands are almost like twins and so are we (except she doesn't drink beer!). She is always there for me when I need her and I am always there for her. We just really GET each other. I am so blessesd to have 'met' her. One day we will meet IRL.

Two life long best friends just because I was ME.



I can talk to these two chicks about any and every thing. They don't judge me or look down on me. They just understand where I am coming from and accept it and love me for it.

I started this blog to find people like me but what I found was people that are so different and yet so alike that we just clicked. How cool is that?! Two life long friends.

So now the question is, 'Why do I still blog now that I have made two best friends'?

And the answer is "just because!". It's not to make someone laugh or make them like me, but, just because I want to. I don't do it to make money or get the most followers or anything like that. I still blog for the same reason I did when I started. To connect with people in my situation but, I know I wont find friends better than Carrin and Amanda.

How many of you still blog for the same reason as when you started?

It bugs me when I am following a blog and they 'sell out'. What I mean by that is they start saying what people think they should say and do reviews every other day. I am sure they didn't start this to do that. If so, I wouldn't have followed them in the first place. A blog shouldn't be work. It should be whatever you wanted it to be when you started (if you wanted it to be work you shouldn't be reading my blog)..

If you want to 'please everybody', then by all means, try. But, if you want to be real and not a commercial, then stick around because that is what you will find here. And, if that is what you are, I will most likely read yours and keep reading yours.

Dear....

Dear Doc,

Thank you so much for all your help. Since you put me back on the Lexapro, I am feeling more and more like myself. It feels good to be me again. Also, thanks for pain pills. My neck already feels better and I know it will help with the headaches. Now I will be able to actually sleep all night and my body and kids appreciate that.

The woman who NEEDS some sleep,
April


Dear Verizon,

You really need to get all the kinks worked out soon. Also, why in the world did it take me being on the phone for a HOUR just to fix one tiny problem? I don't know how switching from Alltel to Verizon could cause so many problems, but it did. PLEASE get these fixed soon. I am still tired of my calls getting dropped on EVERY phone call I make.

The woman who would like to finish at least ONE conversation on the phone,
April


Dear Mom and Dad,

Yall have such a wonderful marriage. I am so happy I grew up in a home where the parents really love each other. I hope my marriage is always as happy as yalls. I really hope yall have a wonderful weekend celebrating your 30th anniversary. Congrats on making it 30 years and I know yall will make it forever.

Your daughter that is so lucky to have yall as parents,
April


For more letters, go visit Shortmama.

Wordless Wednesday

BIRTHDAY GIRL

Today is Toot's 5th birthday! She is really growing up on me. We had her party Saturday at my mom's house and it was a blast.

4 Generations

Her Tinkerbell cake
Her Daddy got her a beautiful princess dress

And her Grandma and Grandpa got her her very first gun. It's a 22.

She hit the target 3 out of 5 times! That's my girl!!!

I can't believe that she is already 5. I am so blessed to be her mom. She is the most perfect daughter I could have ever dreamed of. I love her so much and it is so fun watching her grow everyday. I just wish it didn't happen so dang fast.

What are you watching?

So Amber wants to know what we are watching this Fall for Friend Makin' Monday. Funny thing is, I had just gone threw all the shows this week and set my DVR for all my favorites to record then checked her blog. So, it is all very fresh in my mind. I'm suppose to be cleaning so this will be pretty short. Benny's coming home early!

• Bones - I have seen EVERY SINGLE EPISODE and that wont change this season. I have written a few things about this show. I LOVE it. If I could only watch one show, this would be it. Benny doesn't care for it but knows how much I love it so he deals with it.
• NCIS - I also love this show. I watch it all the time on USA. I have seen most of them but every once in a while I will see one I missed back in the day. This is Benny's favorite TV show so he is cool about actually sitting down and watching it. He loves Abby.
• Criminal Minds - This just facinates me. I think being a profiler would be cool. Benny likes one character on the show so he will watch it with me.
• Ghost Whisperer - I love this show and Benny doesn't. This one has to be recorded so I can watch it when he is not home. I have also watched this one from the begining. Don't really like what the writers have been doing lately but still watch. I hope this season is better than last.

Anyway, that is what I recorded. Oh ya, I also recorded 2 1/2 Men. Benny and Little Man love it. Others I watch that I don't record are all of the Law and Orders. I really like SVU.

I noticed I kind have a theme with my shows. Mainly cop shows. So what all do yall watch?

Booster what?

Little Man has totally impressed me. I can't sing (just ask Carrin) and I sure as hell can't play any instrument (after 2 years of guitar lessons, nothing) so when he said he was going into band, I was shocked! And SCARED!

But he is really freaking good!!!! After what, 2 weeks, he can do a really good job and I am so proud. I would have never thought it. I am one proud mama right here!

Then, they had their first pep rally today and I didn't go. I showed up at the JR HIGH today to pick him up and cars were EVERYWHERE and covered in LK (our school) shoe polish!!! Was I suppose too?

I asked him if parents showed and he said that they did. BUT, he was SOOOOO glad I didn't. Yup, he is my son!

I never dated a football player and I was never a cheerleader and so I was never all into 'school spirit' to the extremes. I didn't paint my cars or my face. I forget how Texas can get about football.

So, I guess I gotta learn it. And learn it before October 9th because I am apparently in the band booster (what is that btw?) and I have to work the game that night.

Wish me luck!!! And any pointers would be nice!!!!

Dear Carrin, From the Family

Dear Carrin,
Thank you so much for being friends with April and coming down for the weekend. It takes a lot for her to become good enough friends with someone to actually open up our home to them. I had a blast and so did she. The tequila rose was pretty good, huh?! I am glad you got to see what all we do in this little town of ours. Also, sorry about smacking you on the ass. Force of habit!

The man that knows all the backroads,

Benny

Dear Carrin,

Thank you so much for my awesome glasses, purse and make up. I love them so much. Also, thank you for listening to me babble on and on. Can't wait to see you again.

The chick with the rockin sun glasses,

Toot

Dear Carrin,

Thank you so much for my book and markers even though my sister keeps stealing them. I really do love them and got to color a lot with them yesterday. I almost finished the book which is good because I have lost even more lids. Thanks for also playing ball with me. I don't get to do that a lot inside and had a blast! I had fun tickling you in the truck and can't wait to do it again.

The ball throwing boy,

Smiley

Dear Carrin,

Thanks for making the trip down here. I really had a lot of fun. From the time that we picked you up at the airport until we dropped you back off was a blast. Next time you visit, we will get you in the water (if it's warm). My kids loved you and Benny thought you were one cool chick. I really hope you had as much fun as we did and enjoyed our little corner of Texas. Also, Little Man said he wished he had got to meet you and told me to tell you THANK YOU for the awesome helicopter. They put it together last night and it only took 3 hours!!! He has it set up on his dresser now.

The woman who will always be a friend,

April

For more letters, go visit ShortMama and see what everyone else had to say.

What a weekend!!!!

Last weekend was one of the best weekends I have had in a long time. Carrin came down to visit and we had such a blast. It stayed sunny and nice the whole time also so thank you, God. I really appreciated it.

First thing Benny did when we got to the airport was make her a special sign. It said "SHORT YANKEE WOMAN". Everyone at the airport got a kick out of it including Carrin.


Before she arrived, Benny made a trip to the beer store and had decided he was going to get us all drunk that night. He succeeded. We took her riding backroads and showed her what all that entails.

The next day, we headed over to my folks house to go pick up the kids and then head to the river. Right before we left, my dad said that they never go to the lake or river on Labor day weekend because something always goes wrong with the boat. Of course, something then did go wrong with ours after he said that. The battery went dead but luckily Benny's brother was there and towed us back to the boat dock. That did not put a cramp in anything because we still had a good time. At one point, Toot decide to teach Carrin how to talk Texan. Toot informed her it was ARE house, not OUR house. That cracked me up.


The next day, Benny decided to try it again and we headed out to the lake. Everything went smoothly (except when he was hauling ass across the rough water) and we had a good ride. Didn't have time to get her in the water but that's ok. There is always next time.

We had such a good time and I can't wait until we can do it again. The best thing I have gotten out of blogging is the great friends I have made and I know Carrin will be a life long friend.

Dear...

Dear Toot and Smiley,
I understand that watching me clean must be the fun to watch but can you do me one tiny favor? We have company coming tomorrow so if you could just lay off on messing everything up for the next 30 hours, I would be so grateful. It's not that I don't enjoy cleaning up after you, I just have a lot of other stuff to do right now. If you do this for me, I might just go buy you something at the store. But, if that is not good enough, could ya at least pick up your messes yourself?

The woman who is tired of picking up after you,
Mama

Dear God,
If you read the above letter you will see that I have company coming tomorrow. I know you get lots of requests for things but what I want is really just something small. I see in the forecast that it is suppose to rain all weekend (just like it is right now). I had plans to go to the lake this Saturday and would LOVE it if you could just hold off the rain on that day. I'm not asking for all the days to be sunny, just Saturday. We have had tons of rain lately so I don't see where it would hurt anything. If you wont make this happen, I totally understand but it would be nice for Carrin to get to see what all we do down here without the rain.

The woman praying for a little sun,
April

Dear Benny,
Thank you so much for being you. I really love you more than I thought humanly possible. Thank you for running all my errands this week (without bitching) so I could stay home and get the house ready. You really are the best husband I could have asked for.

The woman that loves you with all her heart,
Me

Dear Carrin,
I am so excited for you to come down this weekend. I know you have been so busy and have a lot on your plate so I am glad you can get away from it all to visit me. I am sure even if the kids keep messing up the house and God wont stop the rain, we will still have a blast. As with everything else in my life, we will just play it all by ear and just do whatever comes up. I just hope it doesn't rain so bad that we are stuck at the house. I would love to be able to show you how great Texas is. Also, if you get delayed in Dallas, there is a TGIF close to the gates that fly out to Longview and their cranberry margaritas are awesome. Hope your flights go good.

The woman that is so ready for tomorrow,
April


For more letters go visit Shortmama. It is always funny to read what people have to say to others.

Amazing

I am a Christian but on here and in real life I do not push my beliefs on others. As with a lot of things in my life, my relationship with God is a private one. Not a secret at all, just something between me and Him. That is why I have never talked about it here. Today is a new day though and I have to tell you what happened to a friend of mine Friday night.

I know a few people who have actually heard the word of God straight from the man himself. Benny is one and my mom is another. He has also come to Little Man more than once. When my mom talked to Him, He told her to do things that didn't make sense but because of her faith in him, she listened and it all made sense in the end. It was life changing things that ended up being the best thing in the world for her at the time. A lot of people thought she was crazy but she didn't care. When He tells you to do something, you listen.


Anyway, my dads best friend that was also my biology teacher in high school had a heart attack a week ago Friday. That Sunday he had a quadruple bypass and all went well. He was sent home last Friday. He is 63 and has been a teacher for 30 years. His son came up to help take care of them and they had put a baby monitor in his room so they could hear if Gerald (my dads friend) was having problems.

Let me just say something real quick. Gerald and his wife are not religious. We actually wondered if they even believed in God but it was never brought up. Ok, back to what happened.


God came to Gerald and had a long talk with him. At one point, Gerald's son heard talking on the baby monitor and got up to go check it out. Before he got to his bedroom door, God told him to go back to bed, that He was talking to Gerald and had it all under control. So, he went back to bed.
My parents went over yesterday and Gerald sat them down and told them what God said.
God told him to retire from teaching. That it was time for him to do something else in life. God wants him to start talking to the youth of America about Him. God outlined the whole plan for him and told him exactly how to do it. God even told him what to call this mission. Youth of America.

Gerald told my parents that he was saved Friday night and that this would be the new path in his life. He has already talked to a local preacher about getting it started. Isn't that AMAZING!
Gerald was a little worried that my parents would think he was crazy. They explained that they totally understood and my mom told him about the times God talked to her and to Little Man. Gerald then said that he has always felt some presence around Little Man and that he now KNOWS that Little Man is destined for greatness and that God gave him to me at such a young age (16) and that I didn't abort him for a great reason. A lot of people have said that about my Little Man.


After Gerald told the preacher what happened, he told his church about it Sunday morning and two teens gave their life to the Lord that morning. His mission is already starting.

I am not asking you to believe anything I am saying, I just wanted to share with you the amazing thing that has happened to a dear friend of mine.