Picking out glasses

I've had a love-hate relationship with my eyes! As a kid all my siblings and my parents wore glasses. And each year when the school nurse would do an annual eye check I would pass with flying colors. I was relieved that I had somehow been blessed with better vision than all of them!

My kids all have made their way into a corrective lens. I've paid for my share of eye exams, glasses, contacts and all of the goodies that go with seeing the world clearly. Obviously, they didn't get their eyes from their mother!

So when I got my eyes checked the first time as an adult by a professional I was shocked to learn I need glasses. And not only glasses but bifocals. I struggled with those glasses. I tried to wear them but in the end, they spent more time in the case than on my face! A couple years later I had my eyes checked again and funny thing but I didn't need bifocals...imagine that I wouldn't need bifocals for many, many years later. Single view glasses was a refreshing change and I wore those glasses much more than I ever did my first pair.

Flash a few years ahead and contacts made their way into my life. Yay! I could see near and far when I finally really did need bifocals.

So after a recent eye exam, I was again looking at needing new glasses and if you've ever had to pick out frames for glasses you know what I am talking about here. I brought home four different frames for family and friends to give me their opinion on. I had my favorite frames but I wanted the opinion of those I knew looked at me most, after all, they would see the glasses more than I ever would. It's kind of like painting your house, your neighbors see the exterior color more than you ever do. We've all seen those people with glasses where we've thought to our selves "what the heck?" or "who told you that looked good on you?". I didn't want to be one of those sassy little old ladies with bright colored frames, although it is the trend right now! It's all a complicated process. My daughter, who I knew would give me the most honest opinion did just that. She brought a perspective to the whole process that made me eliminate each frame one by one until we had a winner!

The next part of this fun process was going to order these frames. What kind of material did I want my lens made out of or how did I want the transition from one prescription to the other on the lens were all fun questions I had to decide on. The tech had to figure and mark where my eyes would focus on the lens. Did I want the non-glare coating or the blue light coating? They now make a coating just for people who get migraines, but it gives the lens a funky colored look, so no that was not for me. What color did I want the frames in? All this thrown in with less than helpful vision insurance card and 45 minutes later and the glasses were ordered! Alleluia!!

I go pick the new glasses up in two weeks. And honestly, I'm looking forward to getting these glasses. I think they'll look okay. I've always thought most people look smarter in glasses, just my perspective. I know wearing glasses does not make you smarter, but a good looking pair of frames can look pretty sharp!

In this whole process, I've learned a great deal about vision, thanks to the eye doctor during my exam and about lens and frames thanks to the tech who helped me! I may not look smarter in the new glasses but I learned a lot and that makes me smarter!!

Whew, that was a lot of decisions to be made just to see better! Here's to seeing the world clearer in a couple of weeks!

Summer is half over!

I love routine, in fact, I need it. If I keep a regular schedule it helps with my migraine headaches. But truth be known during some point every summer vacation I fall off the "keeping the schedule" routine and it's not pretty! Too much sleep or not enough either of which in turn often turn into migraine headaches.  Yuck!

At some point, I stay up too late, either by choice or because of lack of planning or because I'm naturally a night owl and I fall off the routine wagon. I sleep past my 5 a.m. alarm. I lay in bed and read or surf social media instead of getting my fanny out of bed in the mornings and get moving. My routine goes bye-bye. And the result-I get out of whack. I end up with migraines and that throws me off and it's a whole lot of fun-NOT.

And typically when the 4th of July rolls around all those fun haters start saying "summer is about over" or "it's all downhill from here" referring to school starting in August. I've never cared for these comments, first as a mom-I enjoyed having my kids home during the summer and spending time with them and secondly as a school employee I, plain and simple, don't want to go back!! (Okay, maybe I kind of do!)

But in truth summer is on the downside. Someone last week reminded me that we go back in five weeks...wait, WHAT?! No! That's can't be right. And I haven't looked nor do I want to at a calendar. It will arrive regardless if I know when or how many days!

But here's what I want to ask...What the heck happened to summer?! June was busy and I got a lot accomplished but what happened to the month? And as the month of July is now over halfway over I'm like a kid on their first roller coaster ride, I can't look but yet I do!

I personally feel like my summer can't be this far over, I have so much I want and plan on doing and getting done. It's the summer of stay at home, clean, purge and get stuff done. And it has been, but I guess I'm feeling like I haven't gotten done as much as I'd planned or hoped. But in reality, I have accomplished a lot. I always put way too much on my "to do" list, I always have and probably always will, it's just who I am!

So today as I was kind of looking at what is ahead and what I "want" to do and accomplish, I looked at summer in perspective of Thanksgiving or Christmas break...summer is a whole lot more time, with one small holiday in the middle but otherwise is pretty much time to do what and when you want, and get things done. Unlike Thanksgiving or Christmas breaks, both have a honking big holiday as part of the break and these holidays require quite a lot of work.

So I'm going to stop panicking or shooting nasty look every time someone mentions summer being half over or school starting soon, or back to school commercials, or the absolute worse-school supplies out on store shelves already! It is what it is. It's going to keep rolling towards us! Life with a schedule will soon make a return and that is okay. So regardless of how many days until I have to go back or school starts, a routine will soon make it's way back into my life and that's a good thing!

Here's to what's left of summer...enjoy and make memories!

I made it!

After three days of less than fun stomach issues/flu I feel human again. No gory details, just an appreciation for feeling good and back to normal, or at least making my way back to normal! It is nice to wake up with energy, not pain. (I am not a good sick person, but who is and who wants to be?) And this has me thinking about all those people who wake up each morning with pain. Those who struggle to get out of bed be it physical or other kinds of pain. Wow, how blessed I am!

So as another day begins, regardless of how hot or bitter cold or tough or uneventful this day is, I am grateful for another day. Another chance!

Keeping memories

There are all types of people when it comes to being sentimental. Some people hang on to everything, ticket stubs, old t-shirts and artwork from elementary school. Some people toss and hang on to nothing. Memories are the best, no one can take those away from you. I'd like to think I'm a happy medium when it comes to memories. I tried to keep a folder of papers and artwork for each of my kids throughout their school years, each grade, so they could someday look back on the stuff and it would bring them happiness, good memories, and some laughs!

This summer is the summer of cleaning out and as I put it "purging"! It is time to clean out, clean up and get rid of. All my kids have their own homes and I am giving them their memories. The books, clothes, toys, photos, artwork, jersey's, dresses and such. I get the feeling that most of the items I'm delivering will probably be going to the garbage or goodwill...this is totally their choice. I get that. But as someone who has very, very little from her youth I hope they someday aren't saying "I wish I had" or "I wish I'd kept"some items from their youth. You see it is good to look back, read old journals, look at elementary artwork or report cards put on your high school jersey or prom dress. This is all of what makes us who we are, us!

I wish I had items from my youth, the kindergarten family picture I drew of my entire family in swimsuits, or journals I wrote or books I'd read over and over again and were the favorites that I would have passed along to my kids when they were younger to read. Such happy and precious memories that I wish I could have shared with my kids. But that stuff is gone and are just my memories now.

No one can take your memories away from you. But having remembrances and keepsakes of days gone by and people who are no longer here are a special treasure. Sharing things from our youth and school year with your own children is a cool thing as well.

But once I give their stuff to them, it is theirs to do as they want...keep, toss or donate. I just have one hope, that they take the time, sit down, look at and go through the boxes of memories one more time and it brings them a smile or two one last time before they do whatever they do with the items. It's what makes you individual and unique.

I know it is all just stuff, just remember what you think is clutter and junk now someone someday might say, this was my dad's jersey or this was my mom's prom dress or a card from my great grandparents given to my dad or mom when they were my age. It's all in perspective, memories are precious. After all, I have my mom's wedding dress from 73 years ago. I have no idea what to do with it. But I know it brings me happiness when I open the box and look at it and remember photos from my parent's wedding and how beautiful my mom looked. Or the handmade rocking chairs my dad made for each of my kids, what a wonderful keepsake for them, something I've never had from my grandparents. Take the time and do more than live in the moment, keep those memories close.

Half empty or half full

There are some days when I do see the glass as half empty or the day mostly cloudy. But I'd like to think a majority of the time I see the glass not only half full but I appreciate the fact that the glass can be refilled! And I'd like to think that I look at the sky as mostly sunny rather than mostly cloudy.

When you work, live or are around people who are doom and gloom and minor life happenings are a catastrophe well you either fall into their wallow and negative mindset or you battle to be and do the opposite.   If I wasn't a "let's do this" or an "I'll try just about anything" kind of person I'd live in an old house that would still have 100-year-old wallpaper on the walls and ceilings, there would still be carpet in my bathrooms, there would be overgrown trees and bushes in my yard and the list goes on and on, but you get my point.

We all know and have the "problem for every situation" kind of people in our lives. They always have a negative for even the smallest things in life. I'm not sure how these people get out of bed every day but I'm sure it must be a negative experience and a "poor me" kind of mentality because they do have to get out of bed. I look at each morning as God seeing to give me another day. I'm not a morning person but we all have to get up and going every day and there are people in this world who can't get out of bed each day and wish they could. And yes I have aches and pains but that means I am alive and I can get out of bed. Sore muscles and pain mean I am able to do things and get around. I am alive.

I've turned off, tuned out and ignored the people who have a problem for every solution, life is too short and sooner or later the negative and poor me mentality takes its toll. I'm sure I've had my moments of seeing the problem rather than the solution, and I hope I haven't become one because I do live with and work with these types of people. Life is too short people. Each day is a gift and each day is an opportunity to try again. We don't all get it right and we are not perfect but we are given the opportunity. But instead of comparing yourself to others and seeing things as negative and bad, appreciate what you DO have. It is hard to live with someone who always sees life as poor and bad and sees and points out the negative. I choose to ignore and walk away. But there are times I just want to kick people in the shins and tell them "we've got it pretty damn nice" or "if you can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all". It is hard to stay positive when the world is such a negative place, but it is all in your perspective. I try to find a solution for every problem rather than a problem for every solution and end each day with what I do have rather than what I don't. I don't have the best of everything. I've got aches and pains and bills and there are things I'd like to change but more so I appreciate what I DO have. There is so much to be thankful for, and I remember and thank God for that every night before I go to sleep and again when I open my eyes in the mornings. This is what makes me appreciate and always looking for the positive and solutions in life.

When problems were small

I was a shy child. Growing up on a farm, five miles out of town, I didn't go to daycare and my playmates were my older siblings. So when I went to kindergarten it was a scary experience. I think they would call it social anxiety now or separation anxiety. I didn't have a lot of social skills.

And my biggest problems and fear when I got over the culture shock was how kids treated me (being a redhead with big blue eyes kids would pick on me) and my issues with the alphabet! Yep, I struggled with the alphabet! I always got the letters M and N mixed up, I couldn't remember which one came first and I used to fret and worry and get worked up about it. I remember my older brother sitting in the car with me before going into school trying to help me remember M before N! Ahh....those were the days. Don't sweat the small stuff would be a good piece of advice then.

My mom used to say when you are small your troubles are small, when you get bigger the troubles get bigger. She usually used this reference when referring to your own children. When they are babies you worry about them eating enough or if they are warm or cold and that kind of thing. As they get older the worries get bigger,  are they keeping up with other kids their age, reading-wise or growth-wise. And as they hit the teenage years you worry about the friends they have, or who's house they are at and then they go to college and you worry if they are making good choices, if you've taught them enough. Or if they are safe. And when they become adults you worry if they are happy, they like their job, or if they can find a job or the right house that they want to buy....the worries change as your kids get older. I understand what my mom meant all so well and why she always said she prayed for all her kids all the time!

And now I add a new perspective to my worrying, a grandchild. Once again the parent worry, coming from experience, kicks in. But in all of this I've learned over the years that I'm not alone. My worrying is just what you do when you care and love someone. But learning to put it all in God's hands is something I forget. He's got this. And all the worrying in the world isn't going to do any good. God is not going to give us anything that HE and I can't handle TOGETHER.

So as my 30th mother's day rolls around and takes on a new perspective with a grandchild on the way, I can't help but think back to how clueless and inexperienced and not understanding what my mom meant by those words back 30 years ago was as I waiting for my son to arrive. I've learned a ton over the past 30 years. And I couldn't have done it without God's help!

Happy Mother's day to all the moms and dads out there. Most all have filled the roll of both/either/or to their kids.

Change your outlook

Everyone needs an attitude adjustment every so often, a change of scenery, a day off, time away, quiet time or time spent with people who make you happy and laugh and forget the worries and stress of life.

On a sort of whim I went to a concert last night, a Christian concert. This was my first Christian concert and honestly I can say, I needed this. No it was not like one of those revivals but it was pretty uplifting and attitude changing.  I didn't know every song that was played but having the words to each song up on the big screen was pretty cool-it helped deliver the message. And to be honest hearing all those voices sing along was pretty amazing.

But one of the most amazing parts was when the lead singer from Mercy Me, Bart Millard, ask everyone to sing along to the next song in their set, with no words on the screen. Well hearing several thousand people sing, with no accompaniment, Amazing Grace, was moving to say the least. The volume and feeling of love and unity was very obvious.

If you didn't know the bands and their music that played and didn't know the words to the songs you would have labeled it another rock concert. But it was far more. It was a concert where each song spoke a message, and shared love and was to comfort, or something you could relate to or make you feel good, or all of those.

The song, "I can only imagine" and now movie, both send a powerful message. The song written by Millard after his dad, who was abusive, died from cancer will make you think, appreciate and touch your heart. Hearing it live was an amazing experience as I have wondered what it will be like, when that day comes.

What I'm trying to say here is do something for you. Do something good for your soul. Something that will adjust your attitude and make you happy. Every day is a gift.

And if you want to be happy listen to Mercy Me's Happy Dance song...it will make you want to get up and do a happy dance.