My mom

On the bus the other day I was putting together poem for my mom, in my head. I thought I'd share it here...just as I have it now...of course I could add to it later.

I hear my mom's voice, echoing in my heart

I hear her laughter ringing in my ears

I see her smile as it lights up a room

And her gentle touch on my hurting soul.

I look in the mirror and see her broad smile

I look and I see the lines nature has given her

I see the lines that are from laughter and joy

And the burrows from untold sadness.

Basic training

Supposedly my son started his basic training yesterday. I won't know until he calls or writes me. I hope all is going well, as he was not too happy while in reception. He said the guys in reception were all immature and fought a lot. During the time in reception, though, he had a root canal. The didn't give him any tylenol or anything, though, for the pain. And being a mom that bothers me...I mean, no one hurts my kid and gets away with it! Yes, I know he is 22 and not a kid anymore, but an adult, but he will be "my kid" until he's old and gray.

We got some snow yesterday here in the Black Hills. The roads were pure ice and I almost wrecked my van on the way to work. I hate when the roads are like that. I have studded rear tires but they literally were no help. I thought they would help on the ice but they didn't. I have to get used to driving in the snow and ice again. The first snowfall always brings out the morons and bad drivers. I am surprised there were no more accidents yesterday than there were.

A thought I ran across today:

Being a Friend...

There is a difference between being an acquaintance and being a
friend. An acquaintance is someone whose name you know, who you see
every now and then, who you probably have something in common with
and who you feel comfortable around.

It's a person that you can invite to your home and share things with.
But they are people who you don't share your life with, whose actions
sometimes you don't understand because you don't know enough about
them.

On the other hand, a friend is someone you love. Not that you are "in
love" with them, but you care about them and you think about them
when they are not there. The people you are reminded of when you see
something they might like, and you know this because you know them so
well. They are the people whose pictures you have and whose faces are
in your head regardless.

Friends are the people you feel safe around because you know they
care about you. They call just to see how you are doing, because a
friend doesn't need an excuse. They tell you the truth, the first
time, and you do the same. You know that if you have a problem, they
are there to listen.

Friends are the people who won't laugh at you or hurt you, and if
they do hurt you they try hard to make it up to you. They are the
people you love, regardless of whether you realize it.

Friends are the people you cried with when you got rejected from
colleges and during the last song at the prom and at graduation. They
are the people that when you hug them, you don't think about how long
to hug and who's going to be the first one to let go.

Maybe they are the people that hold the rings at your wedding, or
maybe they are the people who give you away at your wedding, or maybe
they are the people you marry. Maybe they are the people who cry at
your wedding because they are happy or because they are proud.

They are the people who stop you from making mistakes and help you
when you do. They are are the people whose hand you can hold, or you
can hug or give them a kiss and not have it be awkward because they
understand the things you do and they love you for them.

They stick with you and stand by you. They hold your hand. They watch
you live and you watch them live and you learn from them. Your life
is not the same without them.

These are your friends.

- Author Unknown

A Beautiful Monday

It's a beautiful day. The sun is shining. I am listening to Christmas music...yes, Christmas music in October! I love the stuff and could listen to it all year long if I could get away with it without others looking at me funny. I've been listening to it, off and on, since Josh left for Basic Training.

As I was driving my school bus this morning I saw a most beautiful sunrise. The sun was just coming up over the hills and mountains and there was fog in the valley. You could see the shapes of the mountains, like a in a mystical picture. It was absolutely unforgetable. I gave thanks then and there to the great goddess who gave this beauty to us. Mother Nature sure knows how to lift one's spirits on an otherwise dreary day. It seems that the beauty is around us all the time. All we have to do is stop and take a look. The leaves are changing colors, the birds are leaving, excited about going south to the tropics. The air is crisp and clean. There is the smell of wood burning in fireplaces and the sound of leaves and grass crunching underfoot. The sun rises and sets with various color combinations, from pinks and blues to purples and oranges. How can I not be excited about the changing season? How can I not give thanks to the ones who provide this for me to enjoy?

If you do nothing else today, please take time to stop and see the beauty that was given to you as a gift.