A Confession...(sort of)....

So here's my confession: A couple nights ago Elaina was playing at the neighbors, Lewis was playing at home, and I dashed to the grocery store for a few items I needed for supper. (One of my New Year's resolutions is to do better at meal planning and having what I need on hand!) Anyway, it was cold and snowy, and I spotted a parking place somewhat near the door. As I pulled into the spot, I groaned when I saw the sign with a stork and the words "Reserved for Expectant Mothers." I started to back out and find another spot, but then in a little act of defiance, pulled back in and went in to grab what I needed. I did wonder as I was putting my groceries into the van if the lady who drove by eyeing my spot was reading the 'reserved' sign and questioning my 'condition.' I also imagined what the high school girl who was gathering carts might be thinking about my (somewhat) flat stomach and my 40-ish appearance.

This scenario has happened to me once before, and I had the same reaction, but I was probably 10 years younger then. I remember thinking some of the same questions I had this week. Why are they giving special priviledges to expectant mothers? Why not mothers or fathers of toddlers? (My nieces who are currently the mothers of toddlers might help confirm this, but in my memory, getting from the car to the store is a lot easier with a baby in your tummy than with 2 or 3 toddlers in tow.) And why babies or toddlers at all? How about putting up a reserved sign near the door that reads, "For those who've had a rough day and just need a break!" Or "You just need 3 things, and you'll only be a minute."

We know that handicapped parking is totally valid, and the occasional "Reserved for Senior Citizens" signs do help those who are elderly but not actually handicapped. But I'm thinking that there are other worthy categories, and it might be fun to create a few and hang them as signs in parking lots. (The idea of it reminds me of those fun harmless pranks from college days!)

Getting ready for Christmas

Last Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, Elaina and I got the Christmas lights down from the attic, and before we could start putting them around the driveway, a slow, beautiful snow started falling. Here in Kansas, we sometimes do not see 'beautiful' snow...let alone do we usually have it coincide with something related to Christmas. So it was a special treat to put up lights outside at dusk while the snow kept coming. By morning, the world was covered in a couple inches of the beautiful stuff. Perfect!!

Now that a week has passed, I'm ready to take the lights down that are lining the driveway. The squirrels have already chewed the through the wire in 3 or 4 places, so instead of going the full length of the driveway, they stop about 10 feet from the front door. Oh, well... maybe I can get out the black electrical tape and wage a friendly competition.

Here a few photos from last Christmas Eve. The kids have grown up a lot this year. Lewis has his braces off (for now), and Elaina has shot up an inch or two. I don't realize how much they've changed till I look at photos from several months back.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and so I've been thinking about all the things I have to be thankful for. Our pastor's sermon last week was on the subject, and he made the statement that if you find someone who is genuinely happy, you will be looking at someone who is thankful. Truly thankful people are genuinely happy, contented folks, he said, and I agree. So...I've been trying to focus more on what I have, rather than what I don't have that I want or think I need.

Take my computer, for example. It's about 9 years old. Twenty gigs of memory seemed so huge back then. Now it struggles to run e-mail and Word. (Forget my Adobe photoshop!) Yes, I am planning to buy a new one--hopefully in the next month or two. Until then, I'm working at being thankful that I HAVE a computer, that I can send and receive e-mails, and read (and now write) blogs!

Then there's the van that's 10 years old. We keep thinking we will replace it, but then something goes wrong, and we end up fixing it so that we can eventually sell it. Once you put some money into it, you feel like you need to drive it a while longer! I've been eyeing every model on the road for months. But in the past 10 days, I've been purposefully not thinking about which new car I want, and working at just being thankful that I have one that works.

Of course there's also the house projects that need time and money. Since the weather just dropped about 40 degrees last night, it's easy now to be thankful for a nice, warm home--and never mind the walls that need painting and the floors and windows that needs replacing.

We all know that the house, the car, the computer--they aren't things that really matter. So why is it that we get so distracted and start making them so important?

So, my goal between now and Christmas is to be truly thankful --for the big important stuff and the little stuff. Our pastor's other comment last week was that not only are happy people thankful people--but happy people are generous as well. So if we want to be really happy, we need to be thankful and be generous to others. That's a good thought to lead us into this season of giving!

Have a blessed and thankful day tomorrow--and in the weeks to come.

I'm HOW old?

It seemed like my birthday would be an appropriate day to blog. And I even found a favorite childhood photo to post. I suppose I was about 3 or 4 when this was taken. I know I was behind the house on the west side. It does look like the grass needs mowing! More importantly, look at those chubby knees! Anyway, 40-some years later, I'm happy to have had a childhood on the ranch and a whole lot of livin' since then!
So...happy birthday to me!

Hello Out There!

Okay, I have to admit that I've been inspired by the Lambing family blogs...Carrie, Shane and Kristi, and Marie and Fred. So...I'm throwing my hat in the blogging ring, but making no promises as to content or consistency. I realize that I'm joining the blogging world during the "post-a-blog-every-day" month, but I will not be intimidated!

Some of you may be wondering why I titled my blog 'So-Dak Girl.' For those of us who lived before the days of two-letter state abbreviations, SoDak was our state address abbreviation. And no matter how many places I've lived, South Dakota still has my heart. Since leaving home after high school I've lived in Oregon, Idaho, Colorado, Kansas, and Texas, with a few college years back in SoDak thrown in there. Home will always be on the ranch: wide-open prairie with the occasional butte, draw, and group of trees. I've lived in cities most of the last 23 years--not because that's my first choice--but I love my husband and will go where his jobs take us. (I do threaten occasionally that our next house will at least be on the outskirts of town where we can have a few acres and some critters.)

So, from the heart of a SoDak prairie girl who's living on a cul-de-sac, welcome to my blog!