Friday, August 10, 2007

I love this quote for the day: We are all angels with but one wing. We can only fly by embracing each other. That is sooooo true,don'tcha think?





I'm so blessed to be embraced by and embracing so many wonderful people in my life!! I hope I never take that for granted...

Ok, so I"m back from vaca and had a great time...oodles of pix (183) and laughs and in general a great time. I've learned to appreciate laying out by a pool with people who talk and goof around. The girls and I had a fabulous time, right up to the end...



We spent the day at FL mall, which I guess is a good mall. Well...day would be an overstatement. We went to Teavana and loaded up on tea for us all, tried something I can't remember but DID like, ate and made idiots of ourselves trying to get a good picture. As you can see, some of us made bitter idiots than others. Then off to find a graduation dress for Melissa. Well, we did find one...I think at Penneys. Meesh and I loved it, but it was obvious that Melissa wasn't sold. I found some shorts and tops, but one of the shorts had a defective zipper so back it goes. I went from zero plaid shorts to more than enough, so I'm sure I can bear the loss!!

The next day, I think we went to the pool. Maybe not...but we ended up at Meesh's choice for food that night. All for the chips and ranch dip, which she swears is better than anywhere else. Not to me. However...the company was great, the waiter was a story unto himself and we had another great time.








Then it was on to The Melting Pot. The price wasn't that fabulous: $20 for a fondue plate that I could've eaten by myself. But the atmosphere was great...the food was good...and our waitress was funny. As I was dealing with hiccups for the 15th time that day (I get them when I laugh hard), she came back with the check..and asked "what's your middle name" We thought she was asking Melissa for an ID confirmation, but she was asking me to get rid of my hiccups. I said Marie, but everyone hear Meenie. So now that's a whole conversation about how if I was meenie, that would make AT Eenie and UJ Miney and UT Moe. If we did the whole family name thing. I know it was one of those "you have to be there moments"...but it was DARN funny!!


Tuesday night we went to a great place that I would recommend to anyone who is in Orlando. It's a dueling piano bar called Pat Obriens and it's at Universal City walk. So much fun. They tried to get me to drink hurricanes. I declined.





Tasted like cough syrup. I ended up getting some blue storm drink, which was great. Sadly, everyone was overly shy...


SO the deal is, you write requests for the piano players on a napkin and pay them a dollar or two or five to play that song. Melissa writes this essay on how we're all in for her graduation and would they play Joy to the World and make us get up there and do the motions. Instead, they got HER up there...which was good because I didn't know the motions. I did by the end though!!


It was fun being from everywhere because every time they asked "who's from..." I was like "I AM!!" LOL. FINALLY moving all over had a pay off!! Somehow we ended up doing a kickline to to NY NY. That's Carolyn, me, Michelle, Melissa (pretty invisible) and a stranger or two on the end. We had to leave early....with an underage member of the party we were only allowed to stay till 1030. Meesh drove home and did a great job. The rest of the drama can be left at the bar!!






Another great find...and a total accident (they TotALLY busted my chops about stopping at a store that said "beads and scrapbooking" was this store. We stopped by earlier but went back to make necklaces. I'd have gone back again but we ran out of time (well, and money). We spent the afternoon there...Melissa made an amazing necklace that was crocheted together. I could NEVER do that since all the 15 times I was attempted to learn crochet, it never turned out. Not once. Sigh. Michelle made a very cool necklace of natural beads and knots. I loved hers too!! And I made a double strand necklace with pink and brown beads. Super cool. They let me take all the pix I wanted of the walls and layouts...and I DID!! Super cool place.

And then it was graduation and home...the ceremony was pretty short (1.5 hours) considering the number of people graduating. We couldn't get pix inside because it was too dark, but the posed ones are always the ones I keep anyway!! She was sitting in the perfect spot for us to find her and we could practically look in each other's eyes as we were texting each other back and forth!! As always, I got totally choked up when Melissa processed in. She ended up not wearing THE dress, but wore a dress she liked and made her look fab...can't you tell??? LOL I'm so proud of her. She has really overcome alot of crap these last 5 years and never gave up.

You can't tell it in these pix but:
It's about 10000 degrees outside
and I have a tan line.











But now it's home and the house is finally put together. Too bad I can't say the same for our church. Man..the drama that ensued while I was gone!! My heart goes out to the MOPS moms who really put their heart and soul into MOPS all these years and then were just disregarded. A new steering team is formed. I have concerns for the next year, but am glad that 80% of the moms found a MOPS group. I DO hope that FAOG's is better than it seems it will be...so sad. And I think it all revolves around pride and unforgiveness. Sigh. When will we learn?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

When will we learn... how true... It is so interesting that you are passing judgement on issues and things that you haven't even been present for and don't even have a clear understanding of. Maybe it would be a good idea to drop the criticism... its not helping. Your critical attitude and that of others is the fuel for what is ongoing. MOPS needed this more than you know. There is an element of trusting God's authority. If you can't submit to what God has, then it is biblical for you to exit graciously.

Ger said...

Thanks gentle nudges...did you want to talk about this face to face?

keep it simple said...

I soooooo agree with gentle nudges! You speak about being out of town on a vacation and then blast your church for things that have gone on while you were gone, implying you're hearing everything second-hand. I would just ask, have you spoken with all sides? Maybe if you set the example and were gracious and forgiving, refused to listen to gossip and encouraged reconciliation you could affect change in your church instead of just being critical of it's difficulties.

And, by your slam on the upcoming MOPS program at your church you almost sound as if your hoping for it's failure, or, at the least, looking forward to it's struggle...sad.

Ger said...

I think that its interesting that in all the time I've been blogging neither of you have seen a need to comment before now, and that while you criticize me for voicing an opinion as a minute part of a long blog entry, neither of you are available for me to see who YOU are or respond to you.
SO thank you for your concerns and if you would like to discuss it face to face or put YOUR name to YOUR criticism, feel free!!

Anonymous said...

I don't think those 2 comments were critical...not any worse than your post. I feel that there are people out there that think maybe..just maybe...God is putting people on your blog so that you may hear some truth and realize that indirectly how much your posts can backhandedly hurt people. I agree with the 2 comments...and I really have nothing else to say so no thank you to meeting in person...just in case you ask.

Anonymous said...

Ditto to the 3 comments above.
And yes, the truth hurts.....
Maybe instead of going off and having fun, speading money that you don't have, and ignoring the real issues of your life, you could stay and WORK on them. But, that would be too hard and as you yourself have said, running is soooo much easier. So go and run ...but always remember, wherever you go there you are. Just think of your history.
God has spoken to my heart to speak the truth through written words, and no, I would prefer not to talk about this face to face. I keep myself and my family far away from narcissistic people like you but I do pray for you and especially your family who needs you the most right now.
I think there are meds that you could take if you really wanted help! Sad because you really could change if you wanted to.

Unknown said...

OH MY GOODNESS!!! How elementary. Please just delete these posts. I completely understand all the rediculous things that have been going on at your church now, and can get a clear understanding where they are coming from. Wow. That takes some serious gall for someone to unknowlingly comment like that. Grow up!